Potters Creed
by r3aper27
Summary: The Potters are dead. For centuries they fought the Dark from the shadows as the strongest Assassins on earth. Now a former Marauder emerges into a world unknowingly on the brink of war in need the Assassins now more than ever. Can Sirius train the Potters last hope in arts that made his family famous. Watch as Harry Potter ushers in a new era as a Master Assassin. Harry/Padma
1. Watch it all Burn

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Assassins Creed.

Hey I just thought up this idea in my spare time. I kinda liked it and decided I would try a Pilot chapter. I don't know how much I am going to be working on it as my story House of Dark Creatures will be taking the forefront of my attention. I might work on this when I need to get my mind off of HDC or need to take a break before going back with a fresh mind.

Potters Creed

Sirius black walked through the remains of his best friends house. Trying not to remember the good times he had had here. The past was to painful. Too much regret. Too much misery. Too much injustice. He pulled a hidden lever on the side of the fireplace in his friends old study. The mantle rose and the back of the fire place swung back revealing a room. Sirius walked in ignoring the trappings around him and walked straight to the mannequin. He stood there looking at the the familiar beaked cowl with solemn seriousness. He reached down and picked up the two bracers and slid one onto his forearm. With a flick of his wrist the blade shot out and shone in the soft light coming from the room behind him.

Nothing is true, Everything is permitted

The Potters will rise again.

* * *

Harry sat in the spare bedroom of Number 4 Privet Drive, once more trapped with his relatives. Normally he would be miserable but nothing could bring his mood down right now. He had just spent a wonderful year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It had been a hectic year but no more so than the previous two years. He had discovered the man he thought responsible for his parents deaths was actually his godfather and that his best mates rat was the real culprit. He had fought off 100 creatures that sucked all the happiness from you and eventually your soul. He had saved his godfather and found the one person that loved him. Even though he couldn't be with his godfather because he was an escaped convict didn't mean that he wasn't happy to have family. Harry was ripped from his happy thoughts by his irate Uncle Vernon.

"WELL BOY YOU THINK I AM AFRAID OF SOME SISSY WAND WAVING FREAK. WHY WOULD AN ESCAPED CONVICT RISK CAPTURE TO COME THREATEN ME." the man yelled.

"Uncle Vernon he is my godfather, he escaped to protect me." Harry said

"OH YEAH WELL WHERE HIS HE NOW HE IS DOING A GREAT JOB." Vernon bellowed blowing the stench of alcohol throughout the room.

"Well mayb..." Whatever Harry was about to say was cut off as his uncle slammed the meaty side of his fist into the boys eye. Harry dropped to one knee falling onto the desk to hold himself up.

"Uncle Vern.." Whatever Harry was about to say was lost as the toe of Vernons shoe caught him in the stomach making him drop to his hands and knees and dry heave. After a few minutes his stomach stopped convulsing and he gasped for breath, the spittle on his chin and lips caught in the blasts of air flung downwards still attatched to his face in places.

The next blow was a kick to the side of the head right above where the jaw met the skull. Harry dropped to the ground and curled into a ball to protect as much of himself as he could. He felt kicks rain down on his side and stomach.

"WHERE IS HE NOW HUH. WHERE IS YOUR BIG BAD GODFATHER. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE HIM STOP ME WITHSOME PUNY STICK OF WOOD." Vernon screamed kicking with wild abandon, his only goal to cause as much pain as possible.

"Right here." A voice said from behind him.

Vernon stumbled trying to turn around only to find a man in a white hooded outfit.

"WHO ARE YOU FRE..." Whatever Vernon was to say next was stopped short as the hooded figure thrust his left arm forward, sending a knife into the fat mans meaty throat.

"You aren't even worth giving your last rites. Know only this, with your death the Potters will once again take up the creed and restore the power they once had." The man growled before picking up the young boy and leaving the Muggle household forever.

As he walked down the driveway Harry awoke in his arms. The first thing he saw was a white hood clouding the mans face, he knew that face though. Everything was fuzzy but he knew he should know that face.

"Sirius" Harry said weakly.

"Yes Harry it is me. We are leaving. I was wrong you are going to live with me. We are going to make your father proud." Sirius said quietly to the boy.

"You killed my uncle." Harry said sounding scared as he remembered the last thing he had seen before he passed out.

"He needed to be killed. This world is a better place without him." Sirius declared.

It hurt too much to think so Harry just agreed. Somewhere in the back of his mind he knew it was better this way. He closed his eyes and sank back into unconsciousness.

* * *

Harry awoke on a chaise lounge. When he opened his eyes the first thing he saw was the full moon through a gaping hole in the ceiling. He sat up and walked through the room. One wall and ceiling was destroyed, blown out by some incredible force. The room looked like a nursery, painted blue for a boy, complete with a mobile, and changing station. Harry went to stand next to the crib. He rested his hand on the rail. He knew whose crib this was. It was his. He didn't know how but this crib had been meant for him all those years ago, before everything had been taken from him. He felt a tear slide down his cheek and wiped it off on his sleeve. He turned around to look at the hole. This was where Voldemort fell. Where the curse had rebounded and exploded Voldemorts magical core. He walked over to the door to find that the stairs down to the first floor and most of the rooms on either side of his were gone. He sat down on the edge of the top stair and lowered himself down as far as he could go before dropping to the first floor.

Harry walked into the living room and noticed a faint light coming from a door to his left. He entered the room it was coming from to find Sirius in his strange white outfit. The escaped convict was crouching on the other side of an overturned desk looking at some of the papers that had been scattered across the room. He turned when he heard Harry enter.

"Harry your up. I'm glad to see you up I was never really had a knack for brewing potions but I see the healing potion I made worked well enough." Sirius said smiling at Harry.

Harry could see the tightness in the smile, the deadness behind the man's eyes. All those years in Azkaban having his happiness sucked out. Nothing would ever fix that. Twelve years of his life taken from him by a corrupt system. He had lost just as much as Harry had that day. Suffered just as badly in the years since.

"This is my house isn't it?" Harry asked.

"Yes it is." Sirius answered

"Why are we here?" The boy wondered aloud.

"Tonight we are cutting our ties with the past before we claim your birthright." Sirius said picking up a few more papers before standing up. "Come with me."

The man led Harry through the trapdoor in the fireplace into a dark room lit only by the candle Sirius held in his hand. Sirius guided the young man in front of a mannequin in the center of the room. On it was a white shin length robe secured around the waist by a red sash and thick leather belt with lots of pouches. The front of the robe opened up to reveal a red interior and a cape was thrown over the left shoulder with a thick leather shoulder pad to hold it down was secured with straps on his right side. The head was covered with a beaked hood similar to the one Sirius wore.

"This is your fathers robe. He wore it as the Master Assassin of your family as his father did before him." Sirius said solemnly.

"And I will wear it as well." Harry stated.

"When you are ready yes." Sirius said breaking his gaze away from the robe to look at Harry."I will Train you to be an Assassin the likes of which this world hasn't seen in many years. Together we will destroy the system that gave birth to such an atrocious man as Voldemort."

Sirius took the right gauntlet off the table next to the robe, the twin gauntlet to the one he now wore on his left arm and handed it to his godson.

"It won't be easy. You will push your body until it breaks. You will learn how to blend with your surroundings, how to climb and run, to move like an assassin. You will learn to kill, and when to kill. Together we will make the Potter family the strongest assassins on the planet. We will reclaim the power your ancestors once had, but when we do you will also gain the responsibilities they had. You will be the champion of free will and equality for everyone. You are only safe when you choose to be. Not when someone else makes it so."

Harry just looked down at the gauntlet his fingers tracing the engraved lines of the seal before raising his head and letting his eyes meet his godfathers.

Sirius took the cloak and a few other things from around the room and shrank it down. He turned to Harry and guided the young man out to the living room.

"First we must burn our past. This house means nothing to us anymore. We don't need it as a reminder of what we lost the pain is all too good at reminding us as it is. It will guide us forward in our paths as we search for our happiness." Sirius said handing the candle to Harry.

Harry looked at the candle and then the destroyed house he had never had the chance to call home. It meant nothing to him. He felt nothing at the thought of destroying it but wanton destruction was not in the boys nature. In his doubt he looked at his godfather.

"Harry this house will collapse in time. Like all things it will come to an end. Whether it is by our hand or not it will fall. It is rotten. We could sit here forever waiting for it to come down but when it does we will only have to clean it up. The only way we can truly ever be free of this house is to burn it to ashes ourselves, to make sure the job is done. Then we will rebuild from the beginning." Sirius explained.

Harry hesitated for a moment longer before he took the candle to a nearby curtain and put the flame under it. The fire crept up the cloth and tendrils of flame soon began to lick the wall. As the two walked out the door the ceiling caught fire.

Harry and Sirius stood on a hill not far away watching as the fire engulfed the house. Citizens of Godrics Hollow ran out of their houses to try and put out the flames that ravaged their sacred landmark. Their efforts were in vein as the flames built and the inferno climbed higher and higher into the night sky.

"Good." Sirius said watching the people. "The world doesn't need a reminder of Dark Lord that terrorized their country. We will move forward and live our lives in the future, where we have control."

"Sirius" Harry asked prompting the man to look over at his godson to find him looking at the gauntlet Sirius had given him. He turned it over noticing his father initials carved into the seal of his family."You weren't talking about the house were you."

Sirius just looked back across the small valley below him, though his eyes weren't on the fire, they were far further away.

"Don't worry Harry we will watch it all burn."

* * *

Hey like I said not really going to be working on this much but feel free to wait with baited breath I kind of like this idea a lot I think it has potential. Go ahead review tell me what you think of the idea and tell me what you want to see. I'm not saying I will do it, just saying I will take it into advisement, and hey maybe your ideas will give me ideas. Maybe make me look at something else that I have been to focused on other things to notice.


	2. Isle of Creed

Hey I know I said I was gonna focus on my other story but this chapter was building in my head while I was working on the 5th chapter of HDC so I figured I would type it out while I was taking a break from the part I was stuck on. During that break I pretty much wrote the whole chapter down before I realized how long a break I had taken. OOPS. Oh well. Better to write it down now than forget it.

I had to add the Templars in. I kind of want to to keep from having to find ways for Harry to avoid actually fighting face to face since he won't be using magic and will be at a huge disadvantage. Adding Templars just provided someone to have some good melees with swords and knives. That isn't to say Harry won't use magic he will just focus on runes and potions and such to help support him in his fights against magicals. Anyway feel free to add your thoughts on the matter in your review. Which you will do... right... right. Also feel free to add any cool ideas you have using wards, runes, potions, and other magical things to aid Harry in his fight with the Dark.

Also I need someone to Lead the Hit Wizards. Preferably a powerful duelist. And not Dumbeldore. I thought about moody but I would like someone younger maybe. Or more progressive.

* * *

Potters Creed

Harry and Sirius found themselves on a small boat in the waters just outside Dornoch, Scotland. They were headed for an unplottable piece of land that had been owned by the Potters for centuries. Sirius had bought a large sailing yacht with the money in the Potters saferoom. For the most part Sirius had used magic to make sure everything was taken care of but he had been sending Harry running up and down the mast and back and forth across the slick deck, yelling at any speed other than breakneck. Harry was tired very quickly from all the activity.

Not long into the trip Harry noticed dark clouds ahead. He looked back at his mentor to find the man smiling widely. He just pulled his white hoodie tighter around himself and went back about his tasks. Thirty minutes later the storm was in full swing. Cold Rain pelted down soaking Harry to the skin. The black sky was alight with flashes of lightning.

Harry looked back at his godfather to see that same smile as he sailed straight into the waves that threatened to engulf them. The bottom of the boat shuddered as it met each new wave and Harry could only hold on for his life. Sirius pulled him over next to him.

"TAKE THE WHEEL." He yelled over the storm stepping to the side to allow Harry to step in and take over.

Harry looked at him like he was crazy as he took control of the boat. Just as soon as he did he noticed a huge wave coming right at them. Harry felt the wave sweep them up and guided the boat straight into it. They crested and Harry felt his stomach leap into his throat as they the boat fell. The bow cut into the water before bobbing back up, splashing sea water across the two men. Harry felt his mouth twist into a smile as he guided the boat into the next wave.

The storm lasted another hour or so and Harry relinquished control of the boat once more. He noticed his arms were trembling from the strain of being tense so long. He spit trying to get the taste of salt out of his mouth.

"Hey Sirius can you hit me with a drying charm?" Harry asked feeling the cold easily pierce his soaked clothes and creep into his very bones.

"No. Assassins try not to use magic unless entirely necessary. Magic is finicky, it is easy to block and it is inaccurate. A knife never fails. Spells will help you in many situations but when it comes to survival you have to rely on your body, on your own endurance. I won't lie the next few months will be trying. You will endure hardship and you will be pushed farther than you have ever gone, but in the end you will be worth of the title of Assassin." Sirius said solemnly.

"You never explained how you got involved with the Assassins." Harry said.

"I ran away from my family to live with your father my 1st year of Hogwarts. Your father had started his training at the age of 10 and once I found out I asked to join. Your Grandfather was the Potter family head but your Great-Uncle William was the Head of the Assassins guild. He agreed and taught me alongside James. We even taught Remus and Peter what we learned when we were together at school as a way to train together. You don't think we called ourselves Marauders because of our pranks did you." Sirius's laugh shook the beads of water from his beard.

"Professor Lupin and Pettigrew were part of the Guild." Harry exclaimed thinking about how his fathers best friend had caused his death.

Sirius shook his head."No they weren't even really assassins. Even after Hogwarts Remus was to sickly most of the time so he just acted as our informant on things in the black market. Peter killed a few times with us but we never took him on contracts, just personal business with the Death Eaters."

Harry sighed glad that Peter hadn't betrayed the Potter family as well and given up its secrets.

"Just so you know Harry I won't be joining you once you reform the Assassins Guild." Sirius put up his hand to stop the boy's protest. "I didn't say I wouldn't be with you every step of the way. I just don't think that an Assassin that failed the Guild and let it crumble the way it has should be part of the New Order. I will still help you run the guild I will advise you and do everything to support you but I won't become an Assassin."

Harry was stunned. He had figured Sirius would always be the one giving orders. The boy was barely ready to accept that he was going to learn how to be an assassin much less that he would be the leader and founder of the new Assassins Guild. He was broken from his worrying about the future by Sirius.

"There it is."

Harry looked up to see an island in the distance. They sailed into a bay and laid anchor as close to shore as they could get. Sirius loaded a pair of back packs into and lowered it into the water. Harry went to climb down the ladder when Sirius walked up behind him.

"Here let me help you." He said grabbing Harry's arm and putting his other hand on the boy's shoulder. The next thing Harry knew he was falling face first into the cold water. He surfaced sputtering and coughing to find his godfather climbing down into the boat.

"You my apprentice get to swim. Now if you don't beat me to shore when we come back you will have to swim to the boat as well." The older assassin smiled starting up the engine. Harry sat there for a second waiting for Sirius to help him into the boat. However it dawned on him that the man might be serious as the engine sputtered to life. Not wanting to have to swim twice Harry took off swimming as fast as he could.

Harry walked up the road through Port Altair a small village at the far end of the bay just inside the protection the land afforded from the sea. The buildings around him were a mix of Italian and Arabic architecture, by the Assassins of the early order. The town was empty and had fallen into disrepair. Sirius led Harry to the bell tower at the very edge of the village. It sat on the edge of a cliff overlooking the bay side of the cliff with its rear overlooking the open ocean. Inside the tower the wooden beams were rotting and large sections were missing altogether. Harry looked up into the interior of the tower wondering how they would get to the top.

"Follow me." Sirius said looking back at him before walking over to the wall and using the crevices of the worn stone walls, began to climb up. Harry copied the older man and soon they were standing on a wooden platform 7 meters from the floor.

Sirius ran across the platform and jumped across the tower arms outstretched grabbing a platform a few feet higher than the one Harry was standing on. Harry looked at the gap between the platforms incredulously. It was at least a 4 meter jump not to mention the platform he was aiming for was elevated. Sirius had had no problem but Harry was afraid the height difference would be to great and he wouldn't make I. He stepped to the edge of the platform and looked down at the ground below him. He backed up until he heels met the wall behind him and closed his eyes.

"You can do it Harry." Harry opened his eyes to see his godfather kneeling on the platform across the room looking down at him. The man had a wide smile on his face. "Your an Assassin Harry. It is in your blood."

Harry looked at his godfather, the one man that believed in Harry. The man that loved him. Even though after all that he had been through in Azkaban, Sirius still loved him enough to have put Harry first. Harry looked at the distance to the opposite platform and knew he could do it. He ran and jumped, feeling his hands hit the wood of the platform and clamp down. He pulled himself up to find Sirius grinning widely.

"Excellent, just like a true Assassin. Now the pace is going to get faster. Can you keep up?" The man asked.

"You know I can. I'm a Potter." Harry smiled.

Sirius took off climbing up the stone walls, jumping across platforms and wooden beams, with Harry right behind him. Harry had never felt this happy in his life. There were a few times he slipped but each time he was able to pull himself back together and keep from falling. He was growing tired soon and he looked up to see the last jump he would have to make. Sirius stood on the platform with the ladder leading to the top of the bell tower.

All Harry would have to do was jump from his current platform across a pair of beams at different heights and then up onto the platform with Sirius. He ran forward to jump to the beam but something felt off. He heard a crack and suddenly the platform under him began to fall away. Harry jumped at the beam and felt relief as he felt the beam under his feet, however his jump had been awkward due to the lack of solid footing, and he was unable to stop and steady himself. To keep from falling forward he jumped again. The air rushed out of his lungs as his chest hit the beam and he wrapped his arms around it tightly to avoid falling as his legs momentum continued threatening to pull him off the beam. He succeeded at holding on though and pulled himself onto the beam.

He walked along the beam to the wall and gripped the stone with his hands resting his head against the wall as he tried to catch his breath. He waved his godfather's concerned questions off focusing on the last jump. He looked up at the wall and planned out where he would put his hands. He gripped the wall and began his climb. As he reached the top he looked back behind him at the platform he felt the little bit of strength in his fingers and arms giving out. He set his feet on the stone and jumped back twisting in mid-air to grab onto the edge of the wooden platform. His hands were too tired though and he didn't get enough height. His fingers hit the very edge of the platform and he felt himself begin to fall and looked down at the 8 stories to the floor. He felt a hand close around his wrist and looked up to see his Godfather. Sirius pulled him up so he could grab onto the platform. Harry pulled his upper body onto the platform as Sirius grabbed his belt and helped him climb up. He rolled over onto his back and looked up at the ceiling.

"Sorry Harry. I shouldn't have pushed you so hard. I forget your not very strong." Sirius said looking down at him. Harry just looked at him menacingly unable to say anything as he fought for air.

Sirius just laughed and pulled his godson up and patted him on the back. Harry followed the man up the ladder into the bell tower. Sirius walked over to a beam that stuck out from the side of the building and motioned Harry over. Harry walked over next to his godfather who then guided him out onto the beam. Harry stopped before he stepped out and looked at the man worriedly. Sirius just jerked his head out at the beam prompting the boy to step out. Harry but his foot on the beam and paused to push his doubts out of his mind before he stepped out to the very edge of the beam.

Harry stood on the edge of the beam looking out at the village around him. He noticed every building, every alley, every roof. He looked down on the world below him forgetting his fears completely. He forgot his tired, trembling arms. He forgot the impending training. He forgot everything as he focused on the village below him. For a few seconds it was his world and he knew that he was king. After a few seconds he backed back onto the solid rock of the tower and sat down with his back to the roofs support.

Sirius had watched his wards face through the whole encounter. Watched him climb the tower with what could only be compared to ease to someone that had just started. He had watched him survive on instinct even as the platform had given out below him. He watched him as he pushed aside his fears and stepped out on the view point even though Sirius had not told him that the runes on the wooden beam had kept it stable. Sirius knew the feeling an Assassin got from these perches. He had felt the same feeling as a bird of prey looking down on his domain. Sirius had watched the emotions play out on Harry's face as he looked down in wonder at the world below him. Sirius knew that the boy was too open with his emotions and would have to learn how to mask his reactions from others, but he knew that no Assassin could fully contain the happiness and calm that standing on the edge of their world brought them. Sirius walked over and sat beside his godson.

"I can't climb back down I'm too tired." Harry said looking at his Godfather after a few minutes of silence.

"You won't have to." Sirius said standing up. Harry just sighed in relief and stood up as well.

"Do you trust me." Sirius asked looking at his godson seriously. Harry looked at him quizzically and slowly nodded his head. Sirius ran out onto the beam and dove off the end. Harry ran to the edge and looked down to watch his godfather disappear into the bay below them.

Harry looked down worriedly at the ocean. His fears were alleviated as Sirius bobbed back up to the surface and motioned for his godson to jump. Harry's brain began to race trying to figure out how far a fall it was and soon he was picturing every horribly violent and painful end possible. He stood at the edge of the wall and willed the images to go away to no avail. He backed up a bit as he finally decided a running start would be best to try and get as far from the cliff face as possible. He started running at the beam as the possible deaths played out in his head, each one more disgusting than the last. As he took his first step out onto the beam he knew he couldn't stop and that the only option was to not falter as he would need all the momentum possible to jump away from the tower. His heel came down on the edge of the beam and he let himself fall forwards a bit before pivoting his foot on the edge of the beam and pushing off the edge perpendicular to the ground with the front of his foot. His mind went completely blank as he plummeted towards the water below. His sensory perception was heightened pushing all other thoughts from his mind. He heard nothing but his heartbeat over the air as it whipped past his ears. He felt the cold air rushing over his face. He tasted and smelled the salt coming off the water below him, the water that dominated his sight. It came rushing at him, a wall of dark blue. Then it was all over. His senses quieted as he plunged into the sea, allowing all the thoughts that had been screaming through his head to be heard in the back of his head. One thought dominated his mind though as he broke the surface of the cold water gasping for air to see his smiling godfather treading water not far away. He had done it.

* * *

Sirius led Harry inland up the road Harry had seen from the tower. On either side were fields as far as the eye could see. The road wound on each field looking identical to the last but finally about 2 hours later Harry saw the top of a large stone wall over a hill. As they crested the hill Harry looked down at the home of his ancestors, Auditore.

Harry followed Sirius down the road into Auditore. The two walked through the open gates and into the abandoned city. Sirius gave pointed out buildings as they passed.

"There used to be potions stall set up on the corner there, and behind it was an art store. There is the old blacksmith, it was run by a family of dwarves. We had to put the bank on the other side of town to keep the goblins from fighting with them." Sirius was lost in memories of his past leaving Harry to try and process his life. It was very real now as he stood in the ruins of his families once bustling city. They reached the end of the street and began climbing the steps to Potter Manor.

Harry's eyes widened as he climbed the last few stairs to the practice ring. Sirius looked over at him and chuckled.

"It is pretty spectacular. It was modeled after the Villa Auditore in Italy."

Harry just nodded and turned to see the town laid out behind him.

"It looks so empty." Harry said.

"It was once a busy place. Your family has been protecting people here and allowing them to live peaceful lives away from the ministrations of the Templars and Ministry ever since your ancestor Hamish Potter started the British Assassins Guild in order to stop the Templars from stealing Excalibur. He succeeded at hiding Arthurs ancient sword after the kings death. Ever since your family has been working in the shadows keeping the Templars from finding the sword and from taking over Great Britain." Sirius said his eyes far away.

"We will rebuild it." Harry said sounding confident even though he had no idea what he could do to live up to the Potters Assassins Guild of the past.

"No you will rebuild it. It is your future." Sirius said putting his hand on Harry's shoulder. "As for me, I'm going to help you bring them all down once and for all. The Ministry, Voldemort, The British Templars, all of them."

Sirius spun on his heel and led Harry up to the doors to the manor.

"The manor was sealed when your Great-Uncle, the last Master Assassin of the Potters, died. Your father went into hiding before he could take up the role."

"What happened to the rest of the Assassins?" Harry asked.

"Most of them died in the war with Voldemort and the Templars. All that was left was your father and a few cadets recruited to bolster the ranks of the Assassins. None of them ever completed training though." Sirius answered. "To unseal the manor just put your hand on the door. It will recognize you as the last Potter."

Harry stepped forward and did as instructed. A series of runes appeared on the door ending in the Assassins insignia. The whole building glowed gold before the doors slowly swung inwards. Suddenly a loud crack sounded behind them. Harry and Sirius spun to find a group of House Elves behind them.

"Scipio. You scared the crap out of me." Sirius laughed retracting his hidden blade.

"Hello Mr. Black. It is good to be seeing you again after so long. We were beginning to think that the Potters would never return." The lead House Elf replied.

"Not to worry my friend I have brought the resurrection of the Potters." Sirius said gesturing to Harry. The little elf looked over Harry gauging the young man.

"Indeed the Potter Manor has accepted you. I foresee the much work ahead of us all." The elf said satisfied with what he saw. He turned to the elves and began shouting commands. "What are you all still doing here get to work. Tell everyone that the Potters have returned."

"Who are they?" Harry asked his godfather.

"The elves that tended the fields on the island. All of them free of course. A few of them worked in Potter Manor, though I assume they have been helping their friends in the fields as the Manor has been sealed." Sirius answered.

"A correct assumption Mr. Black. Though I fear we will have to work much harder, we have grown used to having to only produce enough for ourselves. We will need to produce much more in order to provide for the whole Isle." Scipio said walking back over.

"What do you mean the whole Isle. It looks deserted, we are the only people here." Harry said looking confused.

"That is true enough. The inhabitants slowly moved away after the manor was sealed, but your here now Master Potter. The Potters couldn't help but save people and inspire them with their courage and leadership. Soon this Isle will be full of your followers." Scipio said before saying his goodbyes and promising to meet with Sirius to discuss production.

Sirius led Harry inside the opulent manor, showing the boy his room, the Gallery, the armory, and the workshop before guiding him into the Study.

"This is your study. When you take up the Mantle of Master Assassin you will conduct your business from this room." Sirius said walking over to a bookshelf and reached pulling a book back, prompting the bookshelf to swing open. He stepped through and disappeared down the corridor behind it. Harry followed him through and walked down the hall. At the bottom he found himself in a large circular room with 9 large statues. Sirius stood beside the Statue in the center. Harry joined him in front of the statue.

"This is one of the first Assassins Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad. He fought the Templars in Jerusalem during the crusades. Each and every one of these statues was a great Assassin." Sirius pointed to the Statue at the far right of the room. "That one right there is Ezio Auditore de Firenze of Renaissance Italy."

He then pointed to the statue on the opposite side. "That one there is Hamish Potter. The first British Assassin and your ancestor."

Sirius let Harry take it all in before he spoke again.

"Harry there is one more thing you have to do before you can begin your training." Sirius said catching Harry's attention. He pointed to the small round seal with the Assassin Insignia at Altair's feet.

"Potter children are born capable of being Assassins, as you proved today it is ingrained in your blood. However to truly unlock the full extent of your abilities and take on the life of an Assassin you have to place your hand on this seal." Harry looked over at him before stepping forward and placing his hand on the seal.

The next thing Harry knew he was standing surrounded by nothingness. Everything was white and empty. The only thing around him was the 9 statues. Harry stood there unable to move or pull his hand from the seal. Out of the statues stepped 9 spectral figures. The 9 spirits that the statues had been made to resemble.

"So this is the last of my line." Hamish Potter said looking at Harry and smiling warmly. "I can see my blood is still strong. You will do fine my son."

"I have also been the last of my line Young Potter." Ezio said. "Rebuild your Order and take back your place in the world."

"You will face many trials ahead of you. You have many enemies." The Mongolian Assassin Qulan Gal said.

"The Templars have members inside your Ministry as well as the forces of your Dark Lord." The Persian Assassin Darius said.

"You will need friends, and a strong will." The Roman Assassin Leonidas proclaimed.

"You will need to rebuild your land and inspire followers." The Chinese Assassin Wei Yu added.

"You will need a partner to support you and help you carry on the line." The Babylonian Assassin Iltani announced.

"Someone strong, to fight beside you." The Egyptian Assassin Amunet nodded in assent.

Harry looked up at the spirit of Altair. The last of the Assassins to speak. The first Assassin and one of the most powerful men to have ever existed. The man stared down at him stonily.

"You will succeed. We know you can. You are an Assassin." The man said.

"Nothing is true. Everything is permitted." The 9 Assassins said in unison before a bright light flashed.

Harry found himself back in the Sanctuary with Sirius. He let his hand drop and stepped back to look at the 9 statues. Sirius didn't ask him what had happened and Harry didn't tell him the two men just stood there quietly both lost in their thoughts. Sirius walked up the stairs into the mansion leaving Harry to reflect on everything that had happened in the last 24 hours.

* * *

Harry stood shirtless in the training ring across from Sirius the next morning. The old Marauder had woken him before sunrise and run him around the city walls for an hour. The next hour was spent on pull ups, sit ups, and climbing the 20 foot high section of the city wall behind the Potter Manor. Then Sirius had dragged him to the training ring for unarmed combat practice. That had been 20 minutes ago and already Harry was bruised and sore. The audience certainly didn't help. Sirius grabbed his wrist and wrapped his arm around Harry's waist. The next thing Harry knew he was in the air as Sirius threw him over his hip. Harry picked himself up and looked over to see Sirius bowing to the cheering House Elves that sat on the railing.

"Alright lets call it quits, we have work to do. I can't kick your ass up and down the ring all day." Sirius said pulling a button up shirt on and leaving it unbuttoned, revealing a muscled chest. Harry looked down at his own scrawny chest and hoped to god he caught up soon, or else this training might just kill him.

Harry pulled on his shirt and walked over to where Sirius was talking to Scipio. Sirius dismissed the elf with a wave and gestured towards the Manor.

"First thing we have to do is check the ward stone and make sure it is keyed to you. After that we can have breakfast while Scipio fills us in on the state of the isle." The man said as Harry fell in step with him.

"Then we get to talk about your training." Sirius smiled but Harry didn't quite like the look in his eye.

Harry followed Sirius into the Sanctuary and watched as the ex-convict pulled a lever opening up the center of the floor and raising up a large square rock about 2 feet high and 4 feet square. Harry stepped closer to see runes carved into almost every square inch of the stone. The only other feature was a large slot in the very center.

"Just cut your hand and place it on the stone. It should drain a bit of your magic to read your magical signature and fix any abnormalities that the wards have accumulated since they were last checked."

"What wards are there?" Harry asked looking at his godfather.

"They have weather wards that keep the worst of the storms out as well as keep it warm enough in the fields to grow crops year round. It also has a ward that guides boats and planes around the isle without anyone noticing. It is unplottable and it has a sophisticated intent ward that only allows people who know of its existence to see it. It is more of an intent based notice-me-not than a Fidelus charm. It is actually the predecessor to the Fidelus. The only difference is that anyone or anything can tell the secret to someone." Sirius answered.

"Oh ok. Sirius can I borrow your hidden blade?" Harry inquired.

"OH right sorry that reminds me." Sirius replied pulling a bracer out of his pocket and tossing it to Harry. "Hidden blades are hand made so that each piece fits perfectly together. It is a work of art, but it means we can't shrink them or we risk the parts not meshing as perfectly. So for the next little bit your going to have to use that one until you can wear your fathers or get your own."

Harry put the bracer on and extended the blade checking to get a feel for it. He slid the blade across his palm and pressed the bloody hand to the stone. The Harry's hand turned gold before the gold spread across the stone like a wave. A few seconds later Harry felt the pull on his magic abate and stepped away.

"That's it. Last time I touched something elves showed up or creepy spectral ghosts of Assassins past showed up to judge me and make me feel like a failure but a little bit happy." Harry said looking at his godfather.

"Huh... I don't remember that happening to me but I guess its a head of the family thing." Sirius said shrugging and once again securing the stone underneath the floor. The two walked up to the dining room where they sat down to a delicious dinner of eggs and pancakes. Scipio sat across from Sirius leaving Harry to sit at the head of the table.

After they had eaten enough to satisfy their hunger Sirius started the meeting.

"Alright Scipio inform us." He said leaning back to drink the instant coffee he had brought from the mainland.

"Well we have enough crops to provide for ourselves and the two of you but it will take about a half a year to get to the point where we can begin to talk about sustaining a population. As for livestock without people to eat them we can't kill them fast enough." Scipio said looking over a scroll.

"Excellent that means we have a half a year to train Harry to the point where he won't make an ass out of himself when I take him out in public." Sirius winked to show he wasn't completely serious.

"Well as for getting this place off the ground we are going to need to get the mine and the lumber camps on the north side of the island going to help get the buildings habitable. After that we can decide what we need based on the population." The Marauder continued. Harry watched as the man got a manic gleam in his eyes. "But first... we train."

* * *

Harry stood on top of a building in Altair. After training in Auditore for so long Harry got tired of the same rooftops. He had taken to freerunning in the port town or the woods on the north end of the island. When Sirius had first started teaching Harry freerunning the Potter heir had taken to it like a fish to water. He never felt so free as he did freerunning. Even flying hadn't felt as liberating. The broom was just so fast and uncertain. It was the object flying and it had been Harry's job to guide it and hold on for dear life. When he was freerunning though Harry was the object in motion. His body was the only thing moving.

He had grown much more confident in the last 6 months. His training had been hard but he had grown to love it. The Potter seal had imprinted into him the knowledge of every Assassin before him. Not memories or actual thoughts, for that would have overwhelmed him and he could easily lose his self identity to the memories of another or died from the overload. However the physical knowledge of every movement those Assassins had ever made. Every building climbed, every sword blocked, every victim killed was etched into Harry's muscles. It had been difficult at first, feeling that he could do things that his body wasn't strong enough for yet, but after Sirius's conditioning he was getting able to preform to his full ability.

The seal had also pushed Harry's magic into a sort of metamorphosis. Harry had started growing much more quickly than he should have. At first Sirius had told him it was just a growth spurt but after 4 months they weren't so sure. No Potter had ever touched the seal before his 17th birthday because the need for Assassins had never been great enough. Now where a young 14 year old recovering from malnourishment should stand was a tall strong young 17 year old. Sirius had been concerned at first but Harry wasn't too upset about the loss of 3 years of his life. If Harry even got to live long enough for those 3 years to matter then 3 wouldn't seem like much to the average wizards age of 80. Besides if 3 years was what it took for Harry to take control of his own life he didn't mind. Not to mention he had never been happier, nothing could put him down.

Harry's head snapped to the side as he caught a flash of movement out of the corner of his eye. It was Sirius running up to him.

"Man I can't sneak up on you anymore." Sirius huffed as he landed on the roof.

"Only when I am surveying my surroundings. You just have the terrible luck of showing up when I have my eyes transformed." Harry said shaking his head at the older mans habit of trying to ambush him. The key word was trying.

One of the first things Sirius had started to teach him was his animangus transformation. Apparently one of the other things the seal did was make sure every Assassin had an animangus form and that it was appropriate for his work as an Assassin. Harry didn't know what he was yet but he knew it was some bird of prey. So far he could only transform his eyes. It was usually easiest to start with something external so you could look at it in the mirror as it changed. Sirius suggested he work on his bones next. The hollow bones of a bird would certainly make acrobatics much easier. Harry thought back to the conversation on the forms of the Marauders.

"So the Seal gives you a form that will help you as an Assassin?" Harry asked.

"Yes something that will blend in with your surroundings. Maybe a form that can help you traverse certain terrains faster. Everything from fish to alley cats have been recorded." Sirius answered leaning back in his chair.

"So you got a black dog and Pettigrew got a Rat that makes sense. But what about my fathers Stag? How was that helpful?" Harry wondered.

"Actually none of the Marauder's touched the seal until after we had our forms. James and I were 17 when we touched it. Remember Pettigrew was never an Assassin we just taught him a few things. He was just naturally a rat I guess. As a matter of fact he doesn't even know the Isle of Creed exists. Thank god. I don't want him showing up here." Sirius said his mood souring at the thought of his traitorous ex-friend.

"What about my father?" Harry asked trying to steer Sirius away from his thought process and the impending awkward silence.

"He was so certain that the Potter blood in his veins was strong enough that even without the seal he would have a useful form so he decided to start practicing his transformations. He got me and Peter into it as well. He was so mad when he realized he was wrong and his friends were the only ones capable of useful transformations." Sirius roared with laughter at the thought. Harry couldn't help but smile as well.

"Didn't the Seal fix that though?" Harry asked.

"Oh no as powerful as the Seal is it can't fix your form once you take that form. Animangus transformations are when your magic changes the structure of your body into that of an animal you are most like. It is unconscious though. There is no spell of manipulation you can do to change it. It is a form of soul magic. It uses what is in your soul to choose your animal. Then you force the transformation. You can only do small pieces at first but as you continue to do it your magic and body remember how to so it and it gets easier. Once all the pieces are easy enough for you to do individually without much thought then you do them all together. Eventually it is as easy as walking as your body and magic have memorized exactly what to do." Sirius explained.

Harry was pulled out of his memory when Scipio started talking to Sirius about their trip. Sirius had decided they were ready to leave. They were sailing down to the Mediterranean sea and docking in Haifa, Israel. From there they would make their way to Jerusalem and training in the same land Altair had. Then they would be sailing to Italy to visit Venice. Sirius had hinted that something big was going to happen in Venice before they returned home. Harry was very excited he had never been anywhere outside of Britain.

* * *

Harry leaned against his balcony of their hotel room in Venice. He had enjoyed his trip to Jerusalem. The town hadn't changed to much in the last few hundred years allowing Harry to really get a feel for what it would have meant to be an Assassin in his ancestors Altair's day. Venice had been much the same but after their first week Sirius had sprung the surprise on Harry. Apparently Dominique Zabini was going to be in town at the St. Mark's Basilica to meet with a contact of his.

Dominique was the youngest of the 3 Zabini siblings. His older brother, Aldo Zabini had taken over the family shipping business from his father, transporting rare magical goods in boats from Africa and the Middle East. His older sister had married her way through 7 rich husbands and 5 countries before ending up in Britain using the money she got from her husbands suspicious deaths to back the Death Eaters.

Dominique though had fallen from his families good graces though and ended up taking to the sea as his ancestors had. Though his chosen profession was piracy rather than shipping. Even with his estrangement from the family though he never hit a Zabini ship, even going so far as to attack their competition.

Though he had in fact hit a ship that the Goblins had paid to ship some important goods for them. This had caused the Goblins to be understandably upset. So when Sirius had sent them a letter concerning the Potters rise and the possibility of reopening the small bank they had set up on the Isle of Creed they had inquired about the Assassins services. Sirius had loved the idea of Harry getting his first kill and helping lessen a possible resource of their enemies. It helped that the money for the kill would provide them with some backing for the next phase of their plans.

The sound of the door opeining broke Harry from his thoughts. The young man turned to pick up a map and watched as Sirius walked in with a stack of papers. The ex-convict had taken well to the freedom that their trip had allowed him. His skin had tanned under the hot Middle Eastern sun, his eyes shone with happiness that had been hindered by the memories of the cold dark of Azkaban in the sweltering desert. He had even started womanizing again.

"Well I found out that Zabini is indeed in town. The Goblins found out that his brother is sending some instructions for him via a man named Sal Boviani. It is a simple hand off in a crowded place full of tourists. Should be easy." Sirius said putting the papers on the table.

"Yeah you said that when you were hitting on that woman in Tel Aviv." Harry snorted.

"Yeah and it didn't go too badly."

"Up until she tried to hit you with her SUV." Harry pointed out.

"Shut up and lets go get some lunch smartass." Sirius said hitting Harry upside the back of the head.

* * *

Harry stood in the crowded St. Marks Square under the Campanile watching Sal Boviani sitting in a chair not far away. Sirius was sitting reading a guidebook on the other side of their target. He was dressed like a tourist, straw boat hat and all. Harry had worn his obligatory Assassin gear. White hoodie with the sleeves pulled up to mid forearm to keep from hindering his hidden blade, jeans and a pair of sneakers.

Harry nervously tapped his fingers against the gauntlet of his hidden blade. He had waited for this moment for 6 months knowing that every minute up to this point had been in preparation for this. If he messed up now everything would have been for nothing. The training, wasted. The Potter family, dead and dishonored. More than anything though Harry had kept himself going on the knowledge that he would be the one to make sure that everyone that had ruined Sirius and his lives would never cause another problem again. He had taken it all on himself to fix the inequality and corruption in the Magical government.

Harry observed his targets contact. Sal "The Snake" Boviani was a short rotund man, roughly 30 years of age. The man wore a black suit with a white button up shirt with the top to buttons unbuttoned to reveal a gold chain nestled amongst a forest of dark brown chest hair. His face was nothing special other than the mushed pug nose that rested under his round wire frame glasses.

Dominique walked past where Harry stood and over to his contact. Sal stood up and shook the mans hand smiling widely. Dominique was much more impressive than the his shorter companion. He had dark black hair that barely reached the shoulders of his black shirt. He had a distinct Roman nose and a small tuft of a soul patch growing beneath his lips. He wore a black button up and slacks with a red tie.

Harry turned around and backed up looking skywards at the peak of the Campanile. He stopped backing up not far from where his target stood.

"...how is my brother?" Dominique asked. "I have not seen him since he deigned it necessary to sneak me into the the ancestral manse for a business meeting."

"He is in good health. He sends his utmost love for his beloved younger brother." Sal replied charmingly. Dominique just laughed.

"My brother has never had any love for me. Only for his money and our father. He does not love his beloved brother, he loves his devoted pirate and all the business that is provided."

Boviani nodded sympathetically obviously not caring much for the family politics.

"I do not think that it is my relationship with our esteemed employer that you wish to discuss. Come we should not stay in one place it will attract attention." Dominigue motioned for the shorter man to lead the way.

They pair made their way towards the edge of the square and walked behind a pair of pillars. Harry positioned himself on the other side of the pillar next to an American man on his cell phone with someone.

"Your brother is most proud of your latest achievement. The Goblins will have to pay triple what it is worth to get it on time. Of course the Zabini family will be able to do it for only double." Harry heard Sal say.

"That is assuming they don't suspect that your the ones that stole it when my brother so readily agrees to get them one at such a discounted rate." Dom said.

"Well the culprit wasn't in any way related to the Zabini family then they can't have been involved. Your brother just came across the merchandise from someone here in Venice quite cheap."

Harry heard their footsteps as they came around the pillar. They walked by the man on the phone and out towards the less crowded center of the square. Harry followed behind them to the left keeping towards the crowds of people near the seats. The two men stopped in an open area to talk some more.

Harry stepped in with a Russian tour group and followed them until they stopped for their tour guide to point out something. Harry made his way to the back of the tour to listen to the conversation again.

"... fine quality I can see why the Goblins wanted it so badly. I would advise my brother to just sell it to another buyer. It will be to noticeable if we sold it back to them. I know a man in Croatia that can..."

Harry walked out of the group and followed the two men. He quickly realized that the number of people around them was thinning. He slowed his breath and began thinking of different tactics Sirius had taught him to keep himself from being seen. The two men began to notice that someone was behind them. They stopped and began to talk some more. Harry wouldn't let himself panic, instead he searched his surroundings. Finding the perfect cover he quickly walked over to an Italian couple and pulled the map of Venice out of his back pocket. He positioned himself so that the two men couldn't see his face but he could see them out of the corner of his eye under the hood. He quickly began to ask the two, in badly broken Italian, where the Rialto bridge was. The man began to mock his tourist act. The woman however began took pity on him and began to explain in English how to get there. Harry watched as the men went back about their business, walking over to stand on the other side of the plaza.

Harry thanked the couple and stalked through the crowd till he wasn't far from his target. He pulled a disposable camera he had bought earlier and began to take pictures of the cathedral edging ever closer to the conversation. The two men were making small talk about prices and targets when Harry finally heard the information he needed.

"Your men can collect the shipment from warehouse number 17 in the southern docks." Dominique said.

Harry just smiled and worked his way into the crowd in front of the cathedral while the men finished their conversation. After another 10 minutes the two shook hands and broke apart. Dominique walked towards the alley beside the cathedral. Harry walked parallel to him for a few steps before angling his path to intersect with the man. Harry slowed his step so he fell in step behind Dominique before picking up his speed again. With a flick of his wrist his hidden blade sprang from its sheath. Harry bumped into Dominique plunging his blade into the mans kidney before walking away as the man clutched his side and fell to his knees. Harry's whispered words as he bumped into the man were the last he ever heard.

"I do this not for myself. _Requiescat in Pace."_

Harry disappeared in the crowd and made his way to the hotel. As soon as he was through the door into his room he felt someone grab his shoulder. Harry grabbed the offending limb and pulled his attacker off balance slamming him back into the table in the room.

"Shit Harry it's just me." Sirius said rubbing his back and shrinking away from the exposed hidden blade in his face.

"Sirius you know better than that. You know how tightly wound I am. I spent the last 10 minutes wondering if someone had seen me and was following me." Harry snapped.

"You did fine no one will suspect a thing. So did you get the information the Goblins wanted?" Sirius asked.

"Warehouse 17 on the southern docks is what he said." Harry said throwing himself on his bed still not feeling totally relaxed. Sirius nodded and wrote a letter to the Italian Gringotts. When he was done he looked up to find Harry laying face down on the bed asleep. Sirius smiled fondly at the boy. Harry was like a son to him. He knew that the training was difficult and he was pushing pretty hard on the boy. He subconsciously noticed how innocent and happy Harry looked in his sleep.

"WAKE UP." The man yelled pushing Harry off the bed with his foot. Harry just lay on the floor and groaned.

"Come on Harry you did it, your an Assassin. Now you get your robe and take up your responsibilities as an Assassin and a Potter. Come on we can celebrate now. Lets go out and get some grub. Maybe a drink. Hell we might just get you a woman." Sirius smiled wolfishly at his ward.

"If I remember correctly I got a woman in Jerusalem. Your the one that hasn't had female companionship in the last 14 years." Harry laughed at the look on his Godfathers face.

"Well you didn't even get past 3rd base I don't exactly call that female companionship." Sirius said snobbishly.

"Yeah and getting a car door slammed in your face is considered a home run." Harry quirked his eyebrow at his godfathers feigned maturity.

"No... But I have done things with women you can only read about in Maxim magazine. I have gotten to the super secret 6th base." Harry just picked up his hoodie and bumped into his godfather as he passed him on his way out the door. His laughter echoing down the halls.

"Your not going to be laughing when I start to teach you Eagle Vision tomorrow." Sirius yelled out the door after him before leaning back inside to grab his own coat.

* * *

Harry sat on top of a roof in Maho Alley, the China town of Magical Britain. Sirius had left Harry in the old Black Ancestral house in London while he went to Norway to find a way to open up the old mine on Creed with the money the Goblins had paid them for the contract. While he was away Sirius had instructed Harry to get a feel for the rooftops in the area, especially around Maho. Though he also told Harry that with Easter coming up it was his "spring break" and he should use this time to pick up women. Apparently their first target in their hunt to get revenge and help protect the people of the Magical world from the Ministry and the Death Eaters, was located in or around Maho Alley.

Harry looked down on the alley. It was much busier than Diagon Alley. Carts and stalls littered the alleyway selling items from every corner of Asia. There were few actual stores as most of the buildings were used to house the many immigrants and their families. There were a few manors on the far end nearest Diagon alley that held the few affluent Asian families but for the most part the alley was packed with immigrants and those of their children building a life for themselves.

Harry swept the busy market with his Eagle Vision. He saw very few people of interest but every so often he would notice an ally or the red shade of an enemy. He deactivated the vision even after spending the last few months in Italy training. Sirius had told him that like the rest of the powers he got from the Potters Seal they would get easier every time he used it as his body learned.

Harry had noticed a red target before he deactivated Eagle vision and decided to tail him. He climbed down into a side alley and shouldered his way into the stream of people. He found the man he was looking for. He was a short Caucasian man with short black hair and a goatee. He had 4 guards in positions around him, all four of them with night sticks and wands. Harry watched as the man berated a stall owner and extorted money from the man. Harry got a genius idea. He followed the man through several more such transactions before the opportunity he was looking for opened up.

Just as the mans guards started clearing people out of their way to take up their positions around him they were all on one side of him, waiting for him to enter the protected area they had created. Harry darted past him grabbing his objective as his hidden blade cut through the cord holding the purse to the mans belt. Harry had taken note that the man carried two purses. One was full of his own almost empty purse and the other was full of his ill gotten gains, so that he may easily dispose of any evidence quickly. If ever searched all that would be found on the man was a few sickles and a handfull of knuts.

As soon as he felt his hand close around the bag Harry darted right between the stall the man had just extorted from and the one next to it. He ducked under the table at the end of the stall as the man noticed what the feeling had been.

"Some purse snatcher stole my coin purse." The man yelled prompting his guards to begin searching for such a man in the crowd. Harry poked his head up over the table before whistling at the man and holding the purse up.

"There he is get him." The man yelled superfluously as the guards had already taken pursuit.

Harry ran up a pile of crates before jumping and using a horizontal flagpole to swing himself onto the roof of the closest stall. He ran across the stall roofs quickly leaving his pursuers in the dust. When he got to the end of the stalls he slid to the end catching the end of the roof to slow his descent to the ground. Harry grinned looking back to see the mans guards just coming around the corner. He ran down the street noticing that he would reach the much less crowded Diagon Alley in a few more turns. He jumped down a short flight of stairs and around the corner.

As he rounded the corner he had to stop quickly, causing him to bump into a girl around his age. He quickly grabbed her shoulder to keep her from tumbling to the ground. As he got a good look at her he recognized her as Padma Patil a quiet young Indian girl in his year at Hogwarts. Footsteps on the stairs around the corner broke Harry from his thoughts and he pulled the young girl into the side alley next to them, stripping off his hoodie and throwing it behind a couple of dustbins further down. He backed Padma into the wall and put his hands on her hips.

"What ar..." Harry silenced her question with his lips. Her eyes grew wide and hands pushed against his shoulders in protest. The guards rushed around the corner and ran past them stopping a couple meters from the two in the alley. Harry pulled back slowly putting his finger over his mouth in a shushing gesture, before slipping his hand into hers.

One of the guards noticed them and made his way over towards them.

"Have either of you seen a man run by here wearing a white cloak?" He asked.

"No sir. Someone ran past but we didn't get a real good look at him." Harry turned his lowered his head and rubbed the back of his hair. The guard just nodded and started to walk away.

"What did this man do?" Padma asked feeling Harry's hand tighten in hers.

"He stole from Mr. Zeirk." The guard said confusing Harry for a second. Padma's eyes flashed in Harry's direction before looking back at the guard.

"I think I saw him go that way." Padma said pointing down towards Knockturn Alley.

The guard nodded and ran over to tell his comrades. Harry sighed as two of them went down the alley while the other two went back to guard their boss. As soon as they were out of sight Harry dropped Padma's hand and crouched next to the dustbins to put on his hoodie.

"Your either very brave or very stupid to steal from David Zeirk." The girl behind him remarked. Harry just looked back at her for a second before raising his hood and straightening up.

"I didn't steal from him for the money. I just decided he needed to know what it felt like to be the one losing their property." Harry said walking over to her. He took her hand and bowed pressing his lips lightly to her knuckles. "I thank you for the assistance my lady it was much needed."

"I would say ask next time but I'm not sure there will be a next time." She said smiling at his antics.

"Now why wouldn't I want to try and devise a situation just to see you again especially if I get rewarded in such a wonderful manner." Harry smirked. "Besides what fun is there in asking."

He stepped in kissing her again quickly before running up the wall to her right and using it to springboard on the opposite wall and catch a hold of a raised set of bricks. Beginning his climb up to take to the rooftops once again leaving Padma blushing wildly at the encounter. She absent mindfully rubbed her hands up her arms to calm the goosebumps that had risen there.

* * *

Hey I did it. Woohoo. Finally. I actually have a whole outline done for this already in my spare time so this might go faster than I thought. Anyway I am really liking how this story is turning out what do you think. Now REVIEW.


	3. Balls and Brawls

So this story is just flowing now. I like how it has turned out so far. As for the half a dozen odd questions no Harry and Padma shouldn't be in school. Harry took a year off. Sirius was teaching him everything he would need in case he should ever need to go back to Hogwarts but as of right now training to be an Assassin and running the Guild is more important. Sorry I didn't really point that out to obviously. The story started right after Sirius flies off on Buckbeak. He trains Harry for about a year and Harry starts his work as an Assassin in March/April. As for Padma it was Easter Hols and while most people stay at school for Easter Hols, Padma's father pulled her out for a reason you will learn that in this chapter.

Potters Creed

Harry sat in one of many chairs around a large table Sirius had taken to calling the War Table in the Black Manor. The pair were looking over the papers Sirius had spread out in front of him to aid him in briefing the boy. Harry looked over an old map of the mines that crisscrossed the Isle of Creed.

"The Dhur'kairn clan will have the mines up and running within a month. As for the Blacksmith's shop we were in luck Orik was kind enough to return with me." Sirius said gesturing to the man behind him.

The dwarf stood almost 4 feet tall. His golden blonde hair fell down and rested on his broad shoulders with a small 4 inch long braid at the back of his head secured with a bronze cylinder. His long blonde beard was 5 or 6 inches long and hand two small braids from his chin even with the corners of his mouth. He wore a brown robe open in the front to reveal his muscular bare chest, held in place by thick woven belt of crisscrossing strips of leather with a large buckle in the center. His robe was only resting on his shoulders as his arms were not in the sleeves, rather they sat crossed inside his robe. He wore a simple necklace of a Hammer in front of an anvil, the symbol of Moradin, the God of Dwarves.

"It is nice to meet you Smith Orik." Harry said looking the dwarf over.

"The Dhur'kairn clan have always owed the Potters. As the head of the clan I had te' see if ya was worth our metal fer mehself. I heard the line had ended." The dwarf said.

"It has been remade." Harry's voice was steely. The dwarf just nodded.

"I'll be makin' yer weapons soon enough lad. Fer' now I will be overseein the rebuildin of your walls and fortifications and then on to yer buildins. We will need gold though." The dwarf headed for the door. He stopped at the door and turned to Harry."We will see if your family can once again strike fear into the hearts of the world."

Harry just turned his attention back to the papers on the desk. Stores, goods, times, names, diagrams, Sirius had gathered everything he could prior to their own intelligence gathering. Sirius pushed the stacks away from Harry's hands and pushed a folder in front of him. On the cover was the name Davin Zeirk. Harry recognized it from his exploits in Maho Alley. The memory of his run in with Mrs. Patil made him grin stupidly, an action not missed by his godfather. Harry knew he was going to hear about this later.

"This is the one you will need. David Zeirk works in the Department of Magical Immigration and Import in the Asian division. He is in charge of getting families settled in and checking up on them as well as making sure all wares sold that are from Asia are legal. He is also a Death Eater supporter and one crooked SOB." Sirius said flipping the file open to a picture of the man.

"Has no one noticed what he is doing or do they just not care?" Harry asked.

"Actually people have noticed but most of what he does is within the confines of the law. Magical Britain is very Xenophobic to begin with not to mention most of the laws on immigration that we have date back to the 1400's or earlier. The reason we are targeting him is pretty simple. It's an easy job but it will take some work. I also want you to get used to working in Britain. Also he is an asshole and he helped Voldemort all but wipe out the immigrant population of Britain in the last war." Sirius closed the folder.

"Alright what do we have to do first?" Harry asked.

"Reconnaissance of course." Sirius smiled.

* * *

Harry sat on a chimney watching as his target made his rounds. The man was nothing if not predictable. He always made the same route at the same time every day. He always had at least a pair of guards sometimes 2 pairs. He worked in the Ministry from 8:30 until 11:30 before taking lunch and heading out on his rounds. He spent his time between 12 and 3:30 walking Maho Alley. He inspected the wares on the Alley and occasionally extorted a little money on whatever he found. Every Friday he took his cut from the shops weekly take and collected money from immigrants he had bullied. Then from 3:30 to 5:30 he spent his time in the Magical Customs office looking over the shipments being made to Maho Alley the next morning.

The guards with Zeirk were comrades of his from his days as a Hitwizard. After graduating from one of Germany's minor magical institutes he had joined a German Hitwizard company. His next two years were spent fighting a tribe of Magical Headhunters in the jungles of Malaysia and Indonesia. After his contract was up he had found himself in India finding work as a guard. When the man was 25 he had come with an employer to Great Britain and used his knowledge of Southern Asia to get a job in the Ministry.

Harry stretched his arms over his head with a big yawn as the man went into the customs office. Zeirk always flooed home afterward so Harry was done for the day. He was heading back across the rooftops to head home when he spotted a familiar form in the crowd below. He smiled and dropped down onto the roof of a vendors stall.

* * *

Padma was walking through the streets looking at all the wares. She hadn't been able to visit the Alley over Christmas Holiday due to her father having a business engagement in India, so she decided to do a little shopping. She was currently looking at a beautiful Lychee when a flash of white appeared in her periphery. She looked up quickly and blushed when she realized what she was doing.

The young Indian girl hadn't been able to stop thinking about the young man she had run into the first day of Holiday. After her Father had picked her and her twin sister Parvati up from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for Easter break she had decided to go to her favorite book store to see her friend, Tejal, a young immigrant a few years older than her that worked at the store. Everything had been rather quick but she still couldn't shake the feeling she knew the boy that had kissed her.

She paid for the fruit and was about to walk away when a pair of arms wrapped around her. She stiffened and whirled around. The hands caught her hips keeping her from backing into the stall. She looked up to find a familiar beaked hood.

"Normally a hood would hide your identity, but I'm not entirely sure I would recognize your face without the shadows." She said sounding braver than she felt.

"Maybe this will help." The man said smiling and pulling her forward to kiss her lightly. It ended all to soon for Padma, though she was sure he could feel the hammering of her heart through her chest. His arms dropped away and she realized her hands were clenched around his sweatshirt. She quickly let go, smoothing the bunched up fabric along his shoulders, and allowing the man to move back away from her. He did just that, though he didn't go far, staying well within her personal space. Padma didn't know what to say, her thoughts were a jumble. She was relieved to hear him speak.

"I didn't even need to piss of a Ministry Official to get a kiss." He said smirking under the hood. Padma blushed but shot a witty remark back at him.

"You don't seem the type to ask, no matter the situation."

He smiled warmly at the reply. "It was well worth the risk. All the guards in the world couldn't stop me." He smirked taking a step back.

"Everything is permitted." He said as a man carrying several rolls of fabric passed by, and he was gone.

Padma slowed her racing heart and strained to see where he had gone. It appeared as if he had just disappeared into thin air. She turned and decided to head for home and finish her shopping the next day. It had been a rather exciting Monday.

* * *

Harry stood on the edge of a Chinese restaurant's roof the next day watching as Zeirk forced a man to pay an extra weekly fee for the permits to sell Kappa Water. It appeared as if every shop and vendor in the Alley paid the man at least once a week. The actions had put a damper on Harry's mood, though nothing could permanently wipe the smile off of his face after running into Padma the day before. Even Sirius had noticed, taking every opportunity to pump the boy for information.

Harry's snapped his attention back to his target as a man in a red cloak stepped up and gave Zeirk a roll of parchment. Harry changed his eyes for those of his animangus form allowing him to see the Malfoy seal on the parchment. After a few minutes of talking Zeirk wrote a quick reply and gave it to the messenger. He quickly took it and then climbed onto the rooftops across the street from Harry.

Harry began to run parallel to the messenger across the roofs. The young Assassin noticed a thick metal cord not far ahead that spanned between two buildings across the street from each other. He dashed ahead and jumped from a roof slightly raised above the one the makeshift bridge was attached to. Harry landed on both feet in a crouch on the wire before standing and running along it towards the other side of the street. The messenger noticed him as he reached the halfway point and sped up to pass the wire before Harry could reach the rooftop. Harry made a split second decision and leapt off the wire at an angle. He made the 9 foot jump landing and pitched forward as he turned the last of his forward momentum into a tackle. He grabbed the man around the waist sending them off their current rooftop and falling a story onto the neighboring roof.

Harry turned the last of his fall into a shoulder roll ending up in a crouch facing back the way he had come. The messenger however stood up legs spread wide, holding his broken wrist, his back bent to keep his center of gravity lower. Harry flicked his wrist out, his hidden blade springing from its holster to shine in the sunlight, before charging his opponent.

The messenger ducked under the blade as it was thrust at his right lung, slamming his fist into Harry's stomach and skipping back with his injured arm held close to his body. Harry coughed a few times trying to lose the feeling of nausea from the blow and charged again. He once again thrust his blade towards the mans chest but twisted to the side to avoid the punch to his stomach as the man ducked again. Harry grabbed the mans shoulder with his left hand and pushed him down further into the knee that drove into the mans stomach. As soon as his knee hit the man he swung the following foot downwards into the side of the mans knee, knocking him down onto one knee. Harry bent his right arm downwards and plunged his blade downward, straight into the messengers lung. The man coughed up blood onto the roof before Harry let him go, allowing the man to fall face down on the ground.

Harry kicked the man over onto his back and knelt beside him. He put his left hand on the mans chin pushing his head back and holding it down. Harry swiped his hidden blade across the mans throat opening it up. He watched the mans eyes as the last of the life left them. He walked over to where the man had landed after the fall from the roof above and picked up the messengers bag. He pulled out the short note and read it over. Apparently Lucious Malfoy, Head of the Most Noble and Ancient House of Malfoy, had invited David Zeirk to a backroom gathering of several Pureblood businessmen during the Masquerade that was to take place this Thursday. Harry collected the Messengers things and a sample of his blood before heading off to meet his Godfather.

* * *

Luscious Malfoy was sitting at his desk in his London Flat finishing up some last minute work to make sure he could spend the next day with his wife and son shopping for the upcoming ball. He was interrupted by a knock on the door. His messenger walked in and handed him a stack of letters. Malfoy went through them briefly to make sure they were all there and pulled a small purse of Galleons, dropping it on the desk before getting up and going to grab a stack of letters with the Malfoy seal on them.

"Drop these off at the post, and deliver the last one to Minister Fudge personally." He said quickly as the man grabbed the purse and accepted the letters. He was so used to the mans presence and discretion he never noticed the man's gaze sweep across the parchment on his desk, nor did he see the man swipe one of the Malfoy seals and push it into a ball of clay.

The messenger walked out the door, a smile on his face. Not many people knew it but when blood was used rather than hair the Polyjuice potion that resulted would last for hours. Just long enough to finish his work. Sirius knew they couldn't take Malfoy down without drawing suspicion, and they needed to be able to discredit him in the eyes of the Ministry.

The next day a fully dressed messenger was found in a side alley in the Knockturn district. He had been mugged. Thank god his deliveries had all been made prior to his demise.

* * *

Harry was going over the papers from the Currier's pouch. He had used the imprint of the Malfoy seal that Sirius had gotten to make a mold. After that it was simple, all they had to do was make a replica and use it to reseal all of Malfoy's letters and deliver them after Sirius had copied down all the information inside. Most of it was boring but at least they knew a few of the mans co-conspirators now. It appeared Zeirk was just a minor thug in the real scheme of things, his only real use was his connection to the Hitwizards and the ability to get things through customs.

Harry sighed and sat back in his chair. He now had a day to figure out how to get into the ball. Sirius had said he would be able to get some information in the next few hours on where it was and they could start to plan then. Harry still didn't like the idea of being at any function that required the use of dress robes. Harry was snapped out of his thoughts as his Godfather walked into the room carrying a long white box and a small brown package.

"Harry, I just got this in." He said putting it down on the desk. Harry opened the brown package to reveal his very own Hidden blade. He traced his finger over the lines of the eagle holding the Assassins symbol.

"Orik rushed the job. He and his three sons spent the last two days crafting it." Sirius said watching his Godson slip off his fathers hidden blade off and put his new one on.

Harry ran his hand over the snugly fit bracer before looking at the next box. Inside was his Assassins robes. He looked up to find his Godfathers smiling face.

"You can't go to the ball in a sweater. We will do the induction Ceremony next time we go to the Isle. You need this now though." Harry smiled at his Godfather.

"Besides I hear a certain Patil is going to be at this function." Harry's smile soured as he glared at the man. Sirius was grinning like a loon.

"Oh yes I saw that little interaction in front of the fruit stall the other day. It just took me awhile to figure out who she was, had to follow her for awhile. Though I put it together when she walked into the Patil's townhouse at the front of Maho Alley." Harry was tempted to ask where this house was, but decided that proving his Godfather right was not worth the effort it would take to find it himself.

"Sirius. I will hurt you." He said grabbing his Assassins robe and taking it to put it away. Sirius just gulped. He of all people knew what his Godson was capable of.

Sirius turned and exited the house pulling the hood of his robe up and heading to Hammered Hag in Knockturn Alley. He walked in and looked around. There weren't many patrons this early in the day, but enough to not be noticed. Sirius noticed his target and walked over to sit in the booth across from him.

"Hey Moony." Sirius said smiling widely under his robe. Lupin returned the smile.

"You haven't been to Venice recently have you Padfoot?" Lupin asked. To anyone else Sirius would look surprised. However Remus Lupin was well versed in the art of subversion and as such, the countering of said subversion. He knew the answer to his question as soon as he asked it.

"No why. Did something happen?" Sirius said seriously.

"Look I am not stupid. Harry disappears, Vernon Dursley is killed with a long thin blade, and then someone appears to take a contract on Dominique Zabini. Not to mention word has it a clan of awfully familiar dwarves have up and disappeared, only to have one seen in London not long after." Remus said taking a sip of his firewhiskey.

"Look Remus I know..." Lupin cut him off.

"Save it Sirius. I know the Potters resurgent when I see it. Now I know Harry is in a precarious situation right now as the only Assassin. I just want to help. He doesn't even have to know or deal with me, I will just pass along what I can." Sirius looked on gobsmacked as his friend gestured to the barmaid for another drink. As she brought it Sirius collected himself.

"Alright well I was going to ask if you had heard anything in the deep dark about a masquerade this Thursday?" Sirius asked.

"No can't say I have. I am working on the fringe these days. Dumbledore wants me to curry favor with the werewolves. He really freaked when Harry went missing. He has been looking everywhere. He suspects Voldemort is involved." Sirius snorted, apparently Dumbledore was to stupid to realize knives weren't really the Dark Lords style.

"Speaking of have you heard, the Longbottom boy got entered into the Tri-wizard Tournament. Now if that doesn't sound like Voldemort's handy work I don't know what does." The two finished their drinks over small talk before Sirius said his goodbyes and left. Not long after he did a man at the bar walked over and sat across from Remus.

"So what are we going to do boss?" The man asked curiously.

"Well, first off we are going to find out about a masquerade that is happening this week. Then it seems I have some "friends" to reacquaint myself with." Lupin said making the other man smile and skitter off out the door. Lupin smiled. He didn't realize how much he had missed the seedy business of the underground. It wouldn't be long until the whispers of "The Wolf" broke out in dark alleys and back rooms.

* * *

Harry was tired of watching Zeirk after 3 days of it he hadn't seen anything changing. It was the same thing every day. He sighed loudly as he crouched on the chimney of a boarding house. Sirius had told him that tomorrow would be the turning point. If they could find something at the ball then they could start to plan their move on Zeirk. With Zeirk gone the Death Eaters would have to find a new way to get their illegal goods into the country. Not to mention this whole Alley would be much better off.

Harry stood up as he saw a familiar face in the crowd. He smiled widely as he saw Padma and what looked to be her sister and her mother walking down the alley. Harry dropped down onto the roof and followed the three Indian witches. They headed into the less crowded fabrics branch of the alley eventually walking into a small store with several colorful dresses of different oriental fashions. Harry dropped down and entered a small ramen shop not far from the shop. One bowl of Shoyu later Harry was leaning on the counter watching the door out from under the curtain hiding the stands customers from view. Not too much later the three women came out with a few bags and Harry followed them down the alley. When they finally reached their home Harry smiled and climbed the building across the street to leave. He got to the roof and pulled out his communication mirror. Sirius's face appeared in the mirror looking excited.

"Harry a friend found out where the ball is. It is apparently being held at the Fudge Mansion. Security is going to be tight though, he is the Minister after all. I think I might have a way in though. Ok I got this cousin you see and my friend..." Sirius's planning faded into the background as a flash of color caused Harry looked up. Standing in the upper floors right hand window was Padma Patil. What distracted him was the fact that she had just taken her shirt off to reveal a black bra.

"I'm gonna have to call you back." Harry said cutting off his Godfather and quickly stowing the mirror in his hoodie pocket.

He watched as Padma draped her new dress over a chair and leaned in towards what he only assumed was a mirror to brush something off her face. Harry had always found her very pretty. She had beautiful hair long and silky so it shone in the light, and piercing brown eyes that seemed to draw his focus to her and her alone. However watching her go about her life from a distance, while she was unaware of his presence, she looked so innocent. She always seemed to be going about her life, always happy and earnest. He smiled as she half danced half stepped out of view.

That was what Harry was fighting for. What he wanted to spend the rest of his life doing. He wanted girls like Padma Patil to dance and sing in their rooms thinking about pretty dresses and having fun with her friends. Even he spent the rest of his life tirelessly hunting down Death Eaters and the like without reprieve, Harry knew that at least he had this moment to remember why he did it. He turned away and walked off replaying the scene in his mind again and again.

* * *

Padma Patil stepped back into her room and went to stand at her window looking out at the beautiful day outside. She sighed happily at the smell of spices and flowers that permeated the Alley below. Her gaze swept across the rooftops of Magical London. She thought she someone on the rooftop across from her, but she decided it must have been a trick of her imagination. She hoped no on had seen her so disrobed and unaware, a hint of a wicked smile played across her face, unless it was that cute boy in the white hood she kept running into. She blushed at the thought and quickly put on a shirt, hoping that she would feel less mischievous with more clothes on. She just couldn't help it the boy knew just how to push her buttons and leave her wondering about him.

* * *

Harry walked into Grimmauld Place and went to find his godfather. The man in question looked up to find Harry's face serious and determined. He didn't know what had happened and didn't want to pry into his godsons resolve. He knew better than anyone that when your mettle was tested , what was inside you was all that mattered, you didn't have to prove yourself to anyone else. He shook himself and explained the plan, his manner businesslike to keep from ruining the mood.

* * *

An Auror patrolled the East side entrance of Fudge Manor. He shivered slightly in the damp cold that had permeated the Welsh countryside. He looked up at the lights of the house and slapped his hands against his arms to warm them up. He grimaced at the sounds of merriment. Not for the first time he wished he had drawn duty in the warm house. He turned and looked out across the field behind the house. There was nothing to be seen for hundreds of yards in every direction. The only thing even remotely of note was a large bush 50 yards from the house. He turned and walked towards the North corner of the house to trade complaints with the cute pink haired new Auror that no doubt was similarly hating her job tonight. If he had turned to look again he would have seen a dark hooded figure step out of the shadows of the bush. The shadow walked up the slight knoll that the manor was situated on, eventually crossing into the light of the house to reveal the white robes of an Assassin.

Harry walked across the stone patio and slipped in through the back door. Sirius's friend had talked to Sirius's cousin, a new Auror and learned enough to get Harry past the the outer defenses. Harry snorted, the security inside the house was so easy to bypass, they really were arrogant to think that no one would make it past the eight underpaid, unhappy, and inattentive guards that patrolled the premises. Harry absentmindedly wondered, not for the first time, if his Assassins magic hadn't subconsciously caused the mist that had drenched the Auror's to the bone.

He stepped out into a wide ballroom full of people and brought his eagle masque. He walked along the wall until he came to an alcove that he could see the room from. He couldn't find Malfoy in the crowd. He cursed as he lost site of one of Malfoy's business associates. Harry muttered every curse he knew at the Malfoy Head for the vague details of the invitation to the meeting. He figured the invitation had simply been a warning for the recipient to be ready. Malfoy was smart to not put anything in writing. He must be using someone to direct his guests to the room they were to meet in. Harry tried to think if he had missed any curses he could use. The person who knew where the meeting was going on could be anyone in the room a guest, a servant, even a guard. Harry scanned the room again and again looking for some hint in the people actions to indicate they were his target. Harry couldn't stay in the alcove for long or he would be noticed. He need a way to get a good look at the people's interactions without being noticeable or remarkable. His frown quickly morphed into a smile as he saw the cover he needed.

* * *

Padma stood next to a punch bowl listening to a red haired ministry worker go on about cauldron bottoms. She had tried to get away from her last dancing partner by getting some punch only to be ambushed by the red head. He was the oldest of the young men to try and court her so far that night, and by far the most boring. She had been assaulted by a veritable rush of young men vying for her attention. It was not hard to imagine why either. Purebloods tendency to intermarry had created a copious amount of homely and unintelligent young women. It didn't help that she was considered quite exotic as not many foreign women came from families rich and pure enough to be considered as marriage material.

This is exactly what her father had been hoping for though. She sighed inwardly. If she had to put up with this in order to get out of that stuffy old castle for Easter Hols she would do it. She didn't have to like it though. It didn't help that Draco Malfoy kept attempting to woo her. He was even brazen enough to come right out and discuss the fact that he was already betrothed to Pansy "the pug" Parkinson, and that anyone else that he was to marry would be a second wife. She hadn't even had the pleasure of dancing. The boys that came to her always ended up talking. The few that did want to dance always went for her sister, who was thought to be easy because of her association with Hogwarts biggest slut Lavender Brown.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she felt a hand grip hers and lightly tug her away from the young man. She looked forward to find a man in a white hooded robe. She looked back at the ministry worker to find he had gone quite red in the face. She couldn't really find it in her to care though. She was just glad someone had decided to dance with her. If he was good she might give him a bit of her time. At least he reminded her of her mysterious new friend in Maho Alley.

* * *

Harry stepped onto the floor and turned to face Padma, taking the cup in her hand and putting it on a table next to him. He watched as the young woman's sharp brown eyes widened at the sight of his mask covered face. He pulled her close to him and began to dance with her in time with the music.

"I hope you do not mind. It is rare to find a beauty such as yourself and I could not help myself." The he said fighting to keep a straight face. Padma's eyes narrowed at his words.

"Your words are to much sir." She said surreptitiously trying to get a glance around his mask.

"I see you like my mask." Harry said steadily.

"Why yes it is quite beautiful. I can only imagine that the man underneath is every bit as appealing." She said suspiciously. Harry was dying to laugh.

"Alas I find myself unable to live up to your kind words." Harry lied.

"I am sure the mask doesn't do you justice." Padma disagreed. The two danced for several minutes while Harry observed the room whilst twirling around the dance floor."You know you have a most pleasant scent Mr..."

"Aquila." Harry answered.

"Mr. Aquila. I find myself reminded of Lychee. It is a wonderful fruit, my favorite in fact. I can show you a stall in Maho Alley that sells the best in all of Europe." She said looking into his eyes.

"Thank you for the compliment but I am afraid I will have to decline your kind offer. My business does not put me on that side of town often." He couldn't help the knowing smile that crept onto his face.

"And what business does a gentleman such as yourself take part in?" Padma asked curiously.

"I provide services to a great many, providing for their well being and continued peace of mind." Harry smirked at his half-answer.

"Such a noble pursuit, and what is this service you have taken it upon yourself to provide?" She pushed him not accepting his vague answer. Harry just smiled.

"Waste management." Padma couldn't tell if he was leading her on or not but didn't get the change to probe further as the dance ended and her partner bowed low. "I am afraid that I have other matters to attend to. The life of a civil servant is thankless and ever busy."

Padma frowned as her good time came to an end but curtsied to the man that she now knew to be her mystery man. She caught his hand as he turned to walk away.

"Will I see you again?" She asked dropping the well mannered and cold persona. Harry just looked into her questioning eyes and cursed the cute innocent happiness he saw.

"Life is so interesting. It never seems to ask, no matter the situation." He said seriously.

"It seems well worth the risk." Padma responded smiling happily. She let Harry's hand slip out of hers and watched as he disappeared into the crowd. She sighed, the night had been much better than she had expected. She noticed Malfoy and the red haired ministry worker were both headed towards her. Now if only it could get better.

Harry followed the man he had seen motion Nott Sr. down a flight of stairs. He paused at the bottom of the stairs. He looked in the door to find a large room with high ceilings, presumably to be used for training and dueling. Harry took a side hallway and ended up on a small balcony above the meeting taking place. He crouched beside the banister looking down at the gathered Death Eaters just in time to hear Lucious begin talking.

"I see everyone had made it." He started allowing the collected men to look around and confirm his statement with their silence. "Good we can begin."

"I am sure you all know that our Lord is trying to return to his body once more. It is our job to make sure that this happens. I have given you all instructions on what part you will play in the coming months. I would just like to remind you that when our Lord returns those whose actions have helped his plans come to pass will be rewarded handsomely. Likewise, a failure will result in strict punishment." Lucious said looking over the gathered crowd. He motioned for a man to step out of the shadows.

The bald man towered over the shorter wizards, being at least 6 and a half feet tall. He wore a metal breast plate and pauldrons under a red cloak.. His metal guantleted hands were resting on the hilt of a large sword sheathed at his side. On his upper right chest was the Templars cross.

"This is Adam Marhefke and he and his men have agreed to help us with our aims. In a few weeks his men will arrive and you will all be assigned guards." Lucious finished. Some of the assembled Death Eaters seemed to dislike the proclamation. A few muttered to each other before one brought the issue to the Malfoy Head.

"But Lucious how could a bunch of muggles help protect us?" The man asked. Before he could react the Templar head had pulled his sword and rushed him.

The man fired off three killing curses causing Lucious to dive to the side to avoid the spells. Adam veered to the side avoiding the first spell, bringing his sword down batting the second into the ground. The third was further lower causing the Templar to jump to the side, putting his foot against one of the nearby pillars to propel him back towards the man his sword held parallel to the ground at shoulder level. He knocked a fourth spell up into the ceiling with a flick of his sword and dropped low into a crouch to move under the mans outstretched wand arm and come up with his sword next to the mans neck.

"With four of my men anyone that decides to make you a target will not get very far." The large man said smiling evilly at the Death Eaters frightened face.

Harry quickly decided it was time to leave, ducking out of the room and taking the stairs back up to the ground level and disappearing out the back door.

* * *

Sirius was drinking a glass of fire whiskey while reading a letter from Remus when Harry stormed in. He jerked upright from his seat at the look on Harry's face. Before he could ask anything Harry said the one thing he never expected to hear, and it chilled him to the bones.

"Voldemort is coming back and the Templars are reinforcing the Death Eaters."

"Shit. Ok we need to take Zeirk out soon. We don't have time to be fucking around with this while we have Templars crawling around. OK we need two things right now before the Templars get her. We need information and friends." Sirius said running his hand through his hair. He looked over at the letter he had put down. "Harry I think it is almost time you meet our mutual friend "The Wolf"."

* * *

Harry shadowed David Zeirk through Maho Alley. He had taken note of the Death Eaters at the meeting now and all he had to do now was learn how the man was providing Hitwizards to his fellow Death Eaters. Then Harry could finally kill the man and have this done. The young Assassin was surprised when the Customs official stopped in a small courtyard surrounded by Townhouses near the Customs office on the docks. Not long afterward a man in the Navy blue cloak of the Hitwizards Zeirk employed. His Hitwizards took up posts so that they could see everything around them. Harry cursed and climbed up to perch on a flag pole sticking out from the side of the building. Luckily the Hitwizards, like most people, didn't think to look up.

The conversation appeared to be about the weeks take and Zeirk handed quite a bit of money to the new arrival. Harry leaned forward as the conversation turned to the events of the night before when Harry heard someone wander into the courtyard. One of the Hitwizard guards grabbed the person and pulled them out into the light towards Zeirk and the new Hitwizard. Harry cursed as he noticed who it was.

* * *

Padma sighed happily as the memory of last night played through her mind while she walked down Maho Alley. She had just told her friend Tejal all about her new mystery man. He had permeated her dreams the night before, holding her close as they danced. Her friend had laughed at how corny it was. She had pointed out that even his name was a cliché as he had given her the Italian for Eagle as his name.

Padma didn't care, he played it so well. He was certainly a predator. Each of his movements was graceful and purposeful. Everything he did had meaning to it, there were no wasted movements. The thought of his eyes though set her heart thundering in her chest. When she had first met him, after the guards had left and he had pulled his hood up they were the only thing unobstructed by the shadow. Bright and piercing she had felt a shiver running up her spine as she felt so naked under the gaze. Their second meeting he had been playful, but his eyes betrayed his true intentions. She remembered the way they had singled her out, with a flush of heat. They had never moved from her face, totally focused on her.

She sighed at the thought of having to go back to Hogwarts and risk not getting to see him again. She hoped she could see him one last time, maybe learn how she could could contact him and see him again. She gasped as divine providence allowed her to catch a glimpse of him through a gap in the crowd, headed towards the docks not far behind David Zeirk. She pushed her way through the crowd after him in hopes of one last meeting with the man she couldn't stop thinking about. She caught sight of him again, a flash of white heading around a corner. She ran to catch up rounding the corner to see that he had disappeared. She searched the alley, not finding him among the sparsely crowded street. She knew he couldn't have made it all the way to the end of the street by the time she got there, so she decided he must have either entered one of the stores or still be on the street somewhere out of view.. Her eyes fell on a small archway not far down the street and she headed towards it.

She walked under the arch way and into the small garden park of a housing complex. She noticed two men in the center of the park talking but couldn't find any sign of the white hooded young man she sought. She noticed one of the men was David Zeirk and decided to hide in hopes of her friend showing up. Her plans were quickly foiled though as a Hitwizard she had not seen grabbed her and pulled her into full view of everyone in the courtyard.

"Look it here. I found someone trying to peep in the door." The guard said hauling her over towards David Zeirk. Her breath caught in her throat as the most hated, and powerful man in Maho Alley's narrowed gaze ran over her.

"The Patil's girl. We can't have her saying anything to her father. He is one of the few men that could disturb our plans." The man said finishing his once over of the girl and looking at his guards.

"Sir we don't even know if she heard anything. She might have just wandered into the courtyard." One of the guards countered.

"I don't care we won't risk it. Besides that man has been a thorn in my side long enough. Maybe the death of one of his daughters will keep him out from under my feet for awhile. Handle it Harmsen." The man said to his guards before turning and leading his contact out of the courtyard to finish his business elsewhere.

Padma could only look on with fear as he left her with his 4 guards. They other three stepped back away from her while the one holding her brought his wand up aiming at her chest, while holding her shoulder with the other hand. She closed her eyes, all happy thoughts banished as she suddenly realized the finality of what Zeirk had said. She opened her eyes and looked at the wand pointed at her as a red curse began to build at the tip.

* * *

Harry leapt off the flag pole and landed on the limb of one of the four trees at the corners of the courtyard. His forward momentum carried him further and he leapt again. The three Hitwizards watching the execution began to pull their wands and call to their comrade but he never saw the man that killed him as Harry's hidden blade caught him in the eye piercing his brain and slamming him into the ground. Harry stood up from his crouch and grabbed Padma's shoulder that had previously been held by the now dead Hitwizard, and dragged her out of the way of a cutting curse. It barely caught her in the hip and she went down onto her hands and knees. Harry growled and reached back crossed his arms across his chest, grabbing two throwing knives on his sides and throwing his arms forwards sending them spinning into the chests of the two outer Hitwizards. He noticed as the last Hitwizard shot a piercing spell at the girl behind him. Harry knew he couldn't move or the spell would kill her. Instead he charged forward ignoring the pain as the spell dug into the flesh above his knee. The Hitwizard fired another cutting curse heading straight for Harry's chest. This time the Hitwizard flinched as blood from the point blank spell flecked his face.

Harry grabbed his wand arm and punched the man in the upper arm with his other hand. His fist hit as close to where the arm met the body just as Harry yanked on the mans hand, causing his arm to pop out of socket. The man screamed in pain as his arm fell uselessly at his side. Harry grabbed the man by his hip below his injured arm and wrapped his other hand around the back of the mans neck. He pulled the mans upper body forward by the back of the neck and pivoted his body, using his hip and momentum to throw him up into the air at about the same height as Harry's head parallel to the ground, pulling the mans neck to spin him so his back was beneath him. Harry's arm that had been on his hip rose higher than the man and came down on his chest hard, slamming his back into the ground and knocking the air out of him. Harry brought himself up onto his toes, his hidden blade held in the air above his head, and brought his body down, thrusting his arm down and the blade into his chest.

Padma was wide eyed at what had happened. She clutched her hip as pain flared up. The battle had taken less than 30 seconds from the time Harry's blade caught the first opponent in the face to the moment he killed the last one. She hadn't even had time to register the pain in her side as she watched the man she had secretly crushed on all week kill her attackers. It hadn't even hit her that the men were dead until she saw the blood pooling under the dead Hitwizard not far from where she was sitting.

Harry's mind began to register the pain in his chest and leg. He had never tested his Inner Magic before so the fact that he wasn't crippled was still amazing to him. As an Assassin he didn't use magic not because it wasn't useful, but because after touching the Seal his magic had turned inward. It wasn't that he couldn't do magic, but as he did magic less and less his body began to take the magic into himself rather than radiating it out into the world. It was what fueled his muscles, pushing them to do impossible things. It had also protected him against the spells of his enemies. As the magic behind the spell had entered his body his own magic had begun to push outwards against it, causing the spell to run out of power. The piercing spell should have all but taken Harry's knee off but with the help of his magic Harry simply had a deep stab wound just above his knee just right of center. The cutting curse though had been close range, it had been fueled by desperation, and Harry's magic had just gotten done fighting the piercing hex and hadn't been able to fully fight the attack. Harry looked down to seek a deep gash in his chest.

Harry flicked the blood off his blade before retracting it once more into its bracer. He turned and walked over to check on Padma. She was zoned out looking at the blood pooling under his first victim. She snapped out of it and looked up at him as he pulled her hand away form her hip and pushed her shoulder back to get a better look at her lower body. The cut wasn't deep but he didn't know if between the wound and the mental strain she would be able to travel very quickly anytime soon. That quickly became a problem as Harry heard a shout and looked to spy another Hitwizard walking under the arch.

He cursed and scooped Padma up into his arms bridal style, ignoring the pain in his leg, and dashed out of the courtyard and onto the street. He ducked as the Hitwizard swung his nightstick at him and lashed out with his foot, catching the man in the ankle and rolling it in on itself. Harry looked down the alley towards the docks to find several Hitwizards appearing around the corner. Harry turned and took off the opposite direction, towards Maho Alley. Several spells shot past him and the occupants of the street screamed and made for the cover of the buildings leaving an open path for Harry. He dashed over a small bridge spanning a canal, spells blasting chunks of the stone bridge all around him. He turned down Maho Alley and to his dismay found the bazaar packed with its usual stalls and patrons, all of them unaware of the men chasing him. He saw a stack of barrels beside the wooden awning of a stall selling spices and quickly jumped up the barrels and onto the roof, taking off across the low roofs of the street vendors, occasionally jumping across to a different row of roofs when faced with a cloth covered stall. Harry could see the stairs down towards Diagon and Knockturn Alley just as the Hitwizards got a bead on them.

The first salvo of spells sent the innocents below running for cover. Harry saw someone diving for cover behind in the stall ahead of him, accidentally knocking the support of his current stall to the ground. Harry jumped as teh awning fell out from under Harry's feet with only a few more feet to go and he fell, his momentum carrying him under the roof he had been aiming for and into the next stall. He twisted his body and fell on his back on the table that the stall owner had set up with his wares to keep from hurting Padma. He felt it give out under his back and collapse on the ground. Padma fell onto his chest and he felt a rib break. He rolled over, pulling his legs under him to push himself up. Ignoring the rib he pushed himself forward into a stumbling run.

Harry's mind raced. He had no where to go. Diagon Alley was now full of Aurors heading in this direction and he was in no condition to be in Knocturn Alley especially with Padma. His mind settled on his only option, Padma's house. It wasn't far just at the bottom of the stairs really, it was technically not in Maho Alley but on the road bridging it and the other Alleys. He took the stairs in great leaps just as the sky opened up pouring rain on them. He got to Padma's house and raced up to the door only to find it locked. He put Padma down and grabbed her shoulders looking into her eyes.

"Padma. We need to hide where can we go?" He asked.

She was in shock. First the fighting and then the running, the fall. She could barely understand what he was saying. His eyes though. The eyes she had dreamed about. The ones that saw into her pierced through the haze of her thoughts once more, conveying what his words could not.

"My family isn't at home right now,,,,,, " She looked around until she noticed something "but my window should be open. I can summon my key if we have to" She said pointing to the open window on the third floor. Harry looked up, afraid her use of magic would bring the Ministry down on them and turned away from her.

"Quick hop on my back I will get us up there." He said looking over his shoulder at her. She did as he said and wrapped her arms around his neck. He grabbed hold of the window sill of the sun room window and pulled himself up the side of the building to grab an ornamental ledge above the window. He climbed slowly, ignoring the pain as he reached for the second story window. He looked up to find that there was nothing to grab to pull himself towards her window and instead jumped to the side at the awning over the short hallway that stuck out from the house making a small coatroom just inside the front door. He landed on the sharp incline of the roof, his stomach hitting the peak sending shots of pain from his injuries and his hands scrabbling for purchase on the wet roof. He slid down a bit before grabbing hold with one hand while his other hand grabbed the arms wrapped around his neck to keep Padma from slipping off. He pulled himself up enough so that he could climb onto the ledge that ran along the whole 3rd floor just under Padmas window. He scooted along the small ledge holding onto the tops of the windows until he could throw himself through her open window.

He landed face down to keep from hurting the young Indian girl. She quickly stood up and closed the window and the curtains, peeking out to watch the road. It didn't take long for the Hitwizards to come down the stairs from Maho and run into the street in front of her house. She watched as several Aurors came running up form the opposite direction and the two groups ran into each other. They quickly conferred with each other before taking of for Knockturn Alley. She closed the curtain all the way and turned to find Harry laying on his side with his arm clutched to his body, looking up at her. She just nodded and he lay his head back down on the ground before reaching down into the pouch at the small of his back to pull out a vial. He shakily swallowed the dark blue concoction before taking another and holding it up for her to take. She took it and scrutinized it before looking at him and carefully tipping it into her mouth. Harry just smiled tiredly.

"What you thought I saved you only to kill you with poison?" She winced at the rhetorical question, and looked down to see her cut fully healed. She knew he was telling the truth. She also knew that her actions might seem ungrateful and rude towards him. She opened her mouth to apologize when he held up his hand and cut her off.

"It was a joke never take potions from strangers." He said pulling himself so his upper back was against the dresser behind him. "No matter how cute they are."

She just sat there running everything that had happened through her mind. Harry let her be, knowing it wasn't every day you are saved from death or see people killed. He was glad to see she wasn't connecting their deaths with him negatively, though there would be plenty of time for that later. She was snapped from her musings as her savior grunted in pain trying to sit all the way up. She dropped to her knees next to him and reached to help him, only to pull her hand away from his robes covered in blood.

"Your still bleeding." She said eyes widening at him. He smiled painfully.

"Yeah the damage was too much for the potion and I gave my other one to you. It is ok though I won't die."

"Still. Why did you give me it if you needed it? My cut was not bad." She said reproachfully to him. He shrugged and helped her pull his robe off. She grabbed some bandages from down stairs and helped him wash the excess blood off his chest and wrap the wound. He extended his hidden blade to cut his pants away just above the knee to allow her to do the same to his leg. When she was done he stood up stiffly. He was sure that by morning the potion would have him healed at least well enough to move without pain. He moved for the window when she stopped him.

"You are not going back out there." She ordered pushing him towards her bed. He was too tired to complain and fell into it, wincing and rolling onto his back to keep off his wound. She walked over beside the bed and grabbed hold of his hand. He opened his eyes sluggishly to look up at her. He was struck once again by how beautiful they were. Even clouded by fear and sadness. They stayed like that for several seconds before she broke the silence.

"Thank you." She said softly. Feeling warm as he looked into her eyes.

"Welcome" He answered his eyes becoming to heavy to keep open. She smiled as he surrendered to the healing affects of the potion and the stress of the day. Falling into a deep sleep. She turned and blew out the candle they had lit, agreeing that causing anyone to think they were in the house was a bad idea so they should keep the lights off.

She sat on the bed beside him stroking his hair softly the whole event playing through her head again and again. She still didn't know how a man that could kill so easily, that had seemed so strong and predatory, was so cute and harmless in his sleep. She sighed, he was every bit as strong and brave as she had imagined him to be, she just didn't fully realize what that would mean. She had no problem with the fact that he had killed the men that had killed her, she was quite glad he had protected her. It made her feel safe with him. She noticed that his hand was shaking and looked down to see him shivering.

She jumped up remembering his clothes were still wet. She quickly took his pants off and debated with herself for a moment before doing the same to his boxers. She grabbed a small blanket and wrapped it around his lower half before turning to her fireplace. She cursed as she realized that anyone in the street could see if she lit a fire and looked around. Everything she remembered about hypothermia racing through her head. She remembered what she had to do, she was just nervous. She reached down and grabbed them bottom of her shirt to pull it up over her head, and shimmied out of her pants. She quickly decided to change underwear because hers were wet and rushed to do so before climbing into bed and pulling his body into hers and covering them with the blankets. She spent the next hour worrying over him, constantly checking him to make sure he was warming up, all the while the fact that she was nearly naked holding the man she kept dreaming about running through her head. She would never admit it to herself, but it wasn't the warming of her mysterious friend that was heating up her body. If anyone were to look at her face they would have noticed not just a light blush but one that covered most of her body.

* * *

Harry woke up feeling great. His body was encompassed in the warmth of the bed. He lay there with his eyes closed noticing that whatever was pushed up against his side was warm and soft. Not to mention the silky feeling on his ribs. He opened his eyes and looked down only to have them widen further. He realized that the feeling he was getting from his side was that of Padma Patils bra and body pushed up against him and her head on his shoulder. His face warmed up for a second coming to the conclusion that it was quite the preferable situation. He was happy to find he would never forget this feeling. Though he decided that Sirius should never find out lest he was sure to NEVER forget it.

It wasn't until he noticed that he was naked, the sheet from last night having slipped off and fallen onto the floor, and his situation was making his usual morning wood all the more prominent. He stretched to the side to pick up the blanket from the night before until he felt Padma's head slip off his shoulder and fall onto his chest. She awoke with a start and looked up, only to realize Harry's, and her, situation in full. She sat up and blushed as she noticed his gaze on her body, and the similar reddening of his face. They both quickly looked away from each other, allowing him to grab the blanket and wrap it around himself, before standing up with his back against the wall.

"Morning." He said trying to break the awkwardness.

She looked back only to realize that while he had covered himself, the blanket did little but obscure his problem as it continued to stand out, draped in the sheet. She blushed and forced herself to look up at his face, both of them now bright red. It wasn't until she shifted in the bed that she realized her dreams, having been filled with thoughts of the man standing across from her (and maybe the peep she had gotten when helping disrobe and "warm" him), had left her in a similar state of arousal. She shifted again uncomfortably at the feeling of her moist panties sticking to her warm skin.

"Morning." She answered.

He quickly collected his pants, the runes on them having pulled the pieces of the leg back together. After putting them on he grabbed his robe and pulled the Indian girl up to stand in front of him. He kissed her lightly before looking into her eyes. She felt herself get warm again and her legs shifted at the tingling feeling between her thighs. The moment was quickly interrupted though when her father opened the door and stuck his head in expecting to find her in bed. Instead he found her in her underwear, standing with a man in a similar though slightly more dressed state, next to a rumpled bed.

Harry's eyes widened and he shot back pulling his robe onto his body and his hood up in one fluid motion. He ducked under the first stunner as Mr. Patil began shouting at him and made a run for the window. He found it closed as they had left it the night before and rather than stopping he jumped putting his arms in front of his face to keep the glass from his eyes. He dropped the three stories and landed in a crouch on the street below, the few people on the street gawking at his jump through the window, the fall, and now the spells he was being forced to dodge.

Harry quickly climbed the building opposite, stopping once he reached the roof to look back at the beautiful woman he had spent the night with, standing next to her irate father. Likewise she looked out at the man that had protected her from the Hitwizards, both of them ignoring her fathers shouts at the young man. Harry smiled and turned to freerun across the rooftops smiling widely, lost in his thoughts of the beautiful foreign witch that pervaded his thoughts.

Well there we go another chapter. How do you like it. Go ahead and review. Feel free to mention if I missed anything. If your right you will help me make my writing better and that is what I truly want. And if I think your wrong I will just ignore you and no harm will be done. Thanks though for those who review ***COUCH**shouldbeeveryoe**COUGHCOUGH* **

Next time on PC

Harry meets the prince of thieves, and Voldemort makes a move.


	4. Rise of Lords

This was a difficult chapter to get through I kept changing things and nothing seemed perfect to me. I think it turned out pretty well anyway. Feel free to tell me what YOU think by reviewing. It would be nice to have some feed back as opposed to just telling me you want to read more. Tell me what you think I should think about doing or if I missed anything. You never know it might help improve the story, and other stories I write.

Potters Creed

Harry sat on a barstool in the Sea Wtich, a bar on the docks, nursing am ale of Leprechaun make. Sirius sat further up the bar. They had gotten information from The Wolf that Zeirk was hiring a French killer for hire to kill Padma during the next Hogsmead weekend. The Wolf had promised to help them make sure the hitman didn't make it out of the meeting. Four Hitwizards walked in and walked to the back of the bar to take a seat in a booth with the man there. Sirius looked over his shoulder at the tall black werewolf that was standing at the corner of the bar. The man walked over to a table full of sailors and started singing a loud bawdy song. The sailors were apparently familiar with the song as they joined in.

The song ended and in the last few seconds the werewolf slammed the sailor that sat in front of him into the table by the side of his face. A second sailor stood up and grabbed him pushing him back into the bar. Two other fights started at different points throughout the bar, causing just about everyone to get involved. Sirius slid a bottle of firewhiskey down the bar to Harry who slammed it into the back of the head of the Hitwizard that had come to the bar to get his friends drinks. The magic fire imbued into the liquid flared up all at once. The man dropped to his knees gripping the bar with one hand while the other held the seared skin along the side of his face.

Harry turned and began to walk to the back of the bar where the Hitwizards were. Two of them had pulled their nightsticks and were keeping the fight from their client. The third had seen his friend go down and was advancing on Harry. He swung his weapon at Harry's head causing the Assassin to duck under the swing. He grabbed the man by the shoulder and belt and used the mans charge to push him further, into Sirius's hidden blade. The man sank to the floor in his Godfathers arms, holding his stomach.

Harry watched as one of the remaining Hitwizards was grabbed by the belt and collar by the werewolf that had started the bar fight, and thrown into the shelves full of drinks behind the bar, falling to the ground unconscious. The last Hitwizard was standing in front of the table that the hitman was sitting at casting spells at anyone that got to close. Harry stepped forward and put his arm in front of his face, catching a fireball on his gauntlet and watching as the fire dispersed around the sides of his hood. The Assassin ducked under the nightstick that followed and grabbed the man by the shoulder pushing him back as he advanced, and thrusting his hidden blade into the man's midsection 3 times. The Hitwizard sank to his knees and fell onto his shoulder as Harry stepped over him.

The Hitman watched impassively as his guard was killed, standing and pulling his own wand to join the fray for the first time. The two looked at each other for a moment before Harry twisted to the side at the waist as an exploding hex passed by his his face. He placed his foot on the table pushed, sending it sliding across the floor and jumping onto it in the same move. The table knocked the wizard to his seat and pinned him into the corner as Harry's hidden blade flicked out and came down into the mans throat.

Harry stepped down from the table and walked back through the bar and out the back door that the werewolf was holding open, with Sirius not far behind. They were quickly joined by the 4 other thieves as they made their way to the Hammered Hag where The Wolf was waiting to meet with Harry.

* * *

They entered the bar and followed the lead thief into a private room in the back. In it sat the hooded form of the head of one of the most powerful thieves guilds in all of Britain and Ireland. The man pulled his hood down to reveal a face Harry knew.

"Lupin?" Harry exclaimed.

"Of course. Who else would be called The Wolf" The werewolf laughed.

"So your telling me that the Professor Lupin that I knew, the straight laced bookworm that Sirius always tells me about, took over the underground and became the thieflord of Britain." Harry asked incredulously looking back and forth from the laughing werewolf and his smiling godfather.

"At one time yes. When I graduated my condition kept me from finding gainful employment, however with my intelligence I was able to facilitate a few of the better thieves in their forming of a Guild of considerable strength." Lupin said proudly.

"It helped that with the war the landscape was ripe for the picking. However are feral friend here downplays his importance. His thieves have succeeded at feats no other group has even considered possible." Sirius said.

"Well actually after your parents death I left the guild and it dispersed so right now we aren't even at a 10th of our best. We are working on it though." The werewolf sighed.

"Well don't worry we will help in any way we can. We can't let family down can we. Besides I need The Wolf." Harry said smiling at his friend.

"About that. We have a couple of people that a place to stay. I hear your looking for someone to run a Bar and Inn in Altair. With your permission I would like to move my headquarters to the Isle of Creed when you get things off the ground." Remus asked seriously.

"I think we can arrange something." Harry said looking at his godfather who nodded in confirmation. The three broke out into wide smiles and made a few tentative plans before Harry had to leave. He had some business to take care of.

* * *

Krunal Patil sat in the study of his home in England. He was not a very happy man. It was hard to be joyful when his daughter Padma had brought him information that his most powerful enemy was trying to kill her because of some deal she had discovered. The problem was there was no evidence, and she didn't even know what she had discovered. He knew she would be safe within the wall of Hogwarts but he still had to do something.

That brought him to his second problem, the boy that he had found in his daughters bed. He was not all that upset about it, even before his daughter had explained that nothing had happened. He was not worried about her maidenhood as it was common practice for a suitor to sleep with a woman before making a marriage proposal. A woman might might even go through several men before her father decided to accept a proposal, so a woman that had lost her virginity was seen as worth more because other men obviously desired her.

He would rather let his daughter just pick her own husband but his relationship with the other powerful families dictated how he would have to go about it. It seemed though that she had found someone she wished to at least court, the only problem was neither of them knew very much about him. The only thing they knew for certain was he was mixed up in whatever Zeirk wanted to kill Padma for, and he was an adept killer. Krunal wondered how he could meet the boy. Maybe he could shed some light on what Zeirk was so paranoid about. He didn't have to think on it long as he heard a sound behind him.

Harry stepped lightly in through the window of Mr. Patil's study. The man was turned looking into the fire in the high backed chair behind his desk. Harry snorted at his obliviousness but then decided that after all his training not many people people would notice him. He stepped from the shadows making sure to step louder than usual to get the man's attention.

Mr. Patil heard the footsteps and turned, his wand whipping out to point at Harry. The man apparently recognized him though the wand stayed pointed at Harry as the man rested it on his desk. Harry walked forward and pulled something out from his robes, dropping it on the desk.

"1000 Galleons, paid by David Zeirk to one Louis Bleriot, for the killing of Padma Patil." Harry said as the man stared at the purse Harry had stolen off the corpse of the hitman earlier. He saw them widen at the proclamation before leaving the purse to scrutinize Harry.

"And how did you come by it?" The man asked expressionlessly.

"I killed him in a bar on the docks." Harry explained. The two men stared at each other. Mr. Patil to decipher the young man's intentions, and Harry with disinterest. Finally Mr. Patil answered.

"It appears I have you to once again thank for my daughters well being." The man said. "Though I would like to know what your interest in David Zeirk is and why it has placed my daughter in the position in which she needs to be saved from."

Harry winced at the not to subtle remark that it was his fault but let it drop.

"David Zeirk is an evil man and part of a corrupt system. A system that I am at war with he is the first of many I will need to purge in order to provide a safer environment for Great Britain. As for what your daughter witnessed. I don't entirely know I wish to find out for myself." Harry said. Mr. Patil appeared to not like the answer.

"At war... With the Ministry. I can understand that it needs to be changed but to kill is too much. We can do so much more..."

"No it is exactly what is needed. Men like Lucious Malfoy run the Ministry, while men much more powerful and much more dangerous control them. These men are not to be crossed, they are brutal and care only that they maintain control no matter the situation." Harry interrupted. "If the system could be changed why is David Zeirk still in control even with everything you have done to take him down?"

"Well the system isn't perfect, but with enough pushing eventually everyone will realize he needs to be relieved of duty." Mr. Patil answered. Harry just snorted.

"Who would relieve him his boss already knows, and his underlings would just take his place." Harry said with conviction. "And what will happen while you pile complaint after complaint against him. He will hunt down your daughter. He will decide you are to annoying to deal with, and he will kill you. What of all your past complaints, wouldn't someone listen if you accused him of trying to kill your daughter."

"No but I have no evidence..." Mr. Patil started.

"So what your saying is no matter what he has done in the past no one thinks any worse of him." Harry growled showing emotion for the first time.

Mr. Patil tried to protest but Harry cut him off again.

"Meanwhile a war is coming and I don't have time to play nice while they kill your daughter and my friends. You do what you think is necessary, but David Zeirk and his friends will not cause me, or anyone else problems again." Harry said stepping out of the window and disappearing.

Mr. Patil leaned back in his chair. He admitted that the boy made sense. However he knew there was SOMETHING he could do, he just didn't know what.

* * *

Harry stood on top of the Three Broomsticks surveying the hamlet of Hogsmeade. He didn't trust Mr. Patil's way of doing things and decided he was going to keep eyes on Padma. Sirius had agreed and volunteered to take care of things while Harry was away. Things had gotten busier in the month since the thieves had gotten involved. Information was flowing in at a fast rate and as Harry and Sirius were the only two they spent a great deal of time looking over it. Remus promised that he would filter it better in the near future but for the meantime Harry hadn't been able to get what he needed to take down Zeirk.

He saw his target and slid down the slanted roof before jumping to the building across the street and grabbed a hanging potted plant to swing himself around the corner of the building. He let go and dropped down into the alley. He exited the alley and fell in behind a group of 3rd year Hufflepuff girls. He watched as Padma and her companion, an Asian girl by the name of Su Li if he remembered correctly, and some other Ravenclaw girl walk into the Three Broomsticks and made to follow them.

As he walked in he saw her in a seat not far from the door with her back to him. He walked to the other side of the pub but noticed that all of the tables were filled to the brim. All except one next to the bathroom, which was empty but for the form of one Neville Longbottom. Harry walked over and gruffly asked if he could sit with him. Neville just nodded before looking back down at his drink. Harry took the seat feeling sorry for his old housemate. Word of his forced inclusion into the Triwizard Tournament had reached Harry. The way the papers told it the Longbottom Heir had gotten the egg out from under the dragon in the first task by running headlong into the nest ducking around streams of fire and under tail swipes. Surprisingly enough the young boy had even come in first place in the Second Task using Gillyweed and swimming as if possessed. The boy looked saddened though. Harry ordered a Gillywater and decided to talk to the boy.

"Your that Neville Longbottom from the tournament right?" Harry questioned causing Neville to look up at him.

"Yeah." He answered looking the stranger over. Harry was thankful for his white hoodie. His drink came and he used it to cover the lower half of his face holding it up and drinking every so often.

"You seem down. I heard you killed in the last task." Harry said cheerfully.

"Yeah I did. It is hard to get excited though. Everyone keeps telling me I'm a squib and I only succeeded cause I'm good at running." Neville answered.

"Running is a good skill to have. Just think without their wands they would wish they could run as fast as you." Harry said.

"Yeah, but they still have their wands don't they." Neville answered crossly before getting up to go to sit somewhere else.

Harry had been watching out of the corner of his eye as they had talked but as soon as the boy left Harry turned slightly to look at a man sitting at the bar. The man was clearly watching Padma. Harry stopped Madam Rosmerta, sliding the mark of The Wolf out onto the table so that only she could see it. She looked around before leaning in to listen to what he had to say. She nodded when he was finished and went back behind the bar. She put her tray down and went to go fill up a Butterbeer, when she put it on the counter though she was distracted when she "thought" she heard someone call her name. The mug of thick buttery liquid slipped off the side of the bar and spilled all over the man Harry had been watching. He got up looking annoyed and stormed into the bathroom. Harry got up and followed. As he opened the door he saw the symbol of David Zeirks old Hitwizard company, on the left breast of the mans shirt in the mirror while he wiped up.

Harry walked up behind the man and grabbed him by the hair and slamming his face into the sink with a wet crunch. He jerked the mans head back as his hands scrabbled over Harry's head trying to find purchase, knocking his hood off. It did no good as Harry thrust his hidden blade into the mans throat. He heard a noise behind him and spun around letting the man fall to the ground with a wet gurgle. Standing in front of the door as it swung shut was Neville. Harry flew across the room and pinned him to the wall with his hand over the boys mouth. He fought against Harry for a second before his eyes fell on Harry's now visible scar. Harry quickly took his hand from Neville's mouth and pulled his hair back over the scar but the damage had been done.

"HARRY" Neville shouted. Harry slammed his hand back over the boy's mouth before shushing him.

"Yes it is me. Now we have to get out of here before someone comes in." Harry hissed, pulling his hood up. Neville's eyes widened and he nodded his head.

Harry let go of the young man and turned to walk out of the bathroom. As he passed their table he laid out more than enough to cover the bill, and the cost of cleaning blood out of the floor. Harry led n uncomfortable Neville to the Shrieking shack, which Harry had recently found out the Assassins owned. He closed the door and gestured for Neville to sit in the next room. Harry leaned against a decrepit dresser vowing to get the damn shack fixed as soon as he could.

Harry started out by explaining the Potter Assassins Guild. Once he had covered everything he could think of on the subject of what the Potters did, he went on to describe his own goal of taking down Voldemort and the corruption of the Ministry. Neville seemed to agree with him on the point, even admitting that his own parents had been tortured into insanity by the Death Eaters and that Neville was not satisfied with the way the Ministry and Dumbledore had handled those caught after Voldemorts fall. Neville became very interested though when Harry admitted to the Guild being unable to fulfill their goals as weak as they were.

"I could join you." The Longbottom Heir said excitedly. "You said it yourself my magic isn't that good but I obviously can do things other witches and wizards can't."

Harry could see the pleading in the boys eyes. Harry had never known Neville to be particularly powerful as a wizard it was true. In fact Harry had been hoping Neville would ask to join. Seamus had always been a hot head and had started more than his fair share of fights in their years bedroom. However they had found out that Neville was much stronger than them after he had ended one of the fights with ease. It had fallen to him to pull Seamus off of whoever he got into a fight with ever since then. He thought about the offer for a second, wondering what Sirius would think.

"I will tell you what I will help you train a bit this summer in preparation for MAYBE joining, if you do something for me." Harry offered watching the boy smile excitingly.

"Anything Harry, I mean we weren't that close but our families were always close and I consider you my only friend." The boy said before clamping his mouth shut quickly, obviously embarrassed by what he had admitted. Harry felt kind of bad for leaving him alone. He mentally promised to see if he could help the boy out a bit.

"That man tonight was after Padma Patil. She got mixed up in what I am doing and they want her dead. I wanted you ask you to look out for anything suspicious." Harry asked ."I know you can help protect her."

Nevilles eyes had been wide enough when he remembered why they were talking in the first place, but they quickly opened to a comical width as Harry proclaimed faith in his abilities.

"Bu..t Harry. You know... I mean I'm not exactly capable... I wouldn't be able to.." the boy stuttered but Harry cut him off.

"Neville I know you can do this. I wouldn't have considered training you if I didn't. I'm not asking you to throw yourself between her and a killing curse, just watch out for her and report anything you don't like to me. This is your first order as a Novice." Harry ordered. "Also don't tell anyone about me. Not even Padma knows who I am."

Neville nodded and Harry made plans to meet him at the base of the Whomping Willow in a week, before disappearing, his Portkey dropping him off at the Hammered Hag.

* * *

Harry waited until Remus and Sirius met him in the private room in the back before telling them about what had happened. Sirius was ecstatic to hear about Neville joining, both because Nevilles father had been good friends with the Marauders, and because they were finally getting a recruit. Remus was less excited, his paranoid nature rising up and reminding him that the more people that knew about them the more leaks they could possibly had. Sirius just waved him off though, saying that he had to deal with the thieves, but that Assassins are always true to the Creed.

Remus just shook his head and gave them the rest of the information he had gathered so far. It appeared Zeirk was going to be unreachable for 2 weeks due to the International Wizarding Confederation holding a gathering of customs officials to talk about regulations and such, somewhere in Romania. Harry sighed as it meant he could go back to the Isle of Creed and do his initiation, as well as help teach Neville a few things. The three men went on this way until late into the night drinking and having fun before leaving for their respective beds.

* * *

Harry stood across from the crouched, gasping form of Neville Longbottom, wondering if he had looked quite like the Longbottom Heir at the beginning of his training. He didn't think so as he remembered the Potter blood and the Seal increasing his abilities rather quickly. Harry had to agree though while Neville was struggling, he was much stronger than Harry had been at this point.

"Alright stand up we will take a short break." Harry said tossing the boy a water bottle as he rolled onto his back to get more air.

Harry thought over what Neville had told him about his mission. Apparently the boy did things in no half measures as he had gone up to Padma and her friend Su Li that same day in Hogsmeade and introduced himself. It had only taken a week to become friends with the two and not only was Harry proud of him for taking to the mission so quickly but for making a friend for the first time. Harry had no doubt that while the boy had been determined and quick in his introduction to the girls, he had assuredly been a nervous wreck when doing it. Harry was proud though. If his pain and determination to do the right thing so others wouldn't suffer that had come from his parents misfortune hadn't made Harry think he was a perfect fit for the Assassins, his conviction and loyalty that he had shown so far would have.

"Neville I have unofficially inducted you into the Assassins. You are an Assassin of Novice rank. You may be called upon to survey points of interest, gather information, or aid your fellow Assassins in their own kills. You will be given no weapons, being only trained in unarmed combat." Harry said looking down on the boy coldly. "When we determine that you have had enough training, and your ability deemed adequate, you may be raised to Initiate."

Neville sat up looking at Harry with determination, even raising up into a wobbly standing position. Harry smiled inwardly, not wanting to break the facade of being his Mentor. The boy had some balls, even if the determined look was less impressive with the gasps for air. The Assassins were growing stronger.

Harry stood atop the tower in Altair with Scipio, Remus, Sirius, and Orik. The assembled stood around the fires of a brazier. In ages past there would have been more Assassins than allies. However the Order had dwindled to this precious few. Harry looked at his godfather, the acting mentor for Harry.

"Where other men blindly follow the truth, remember..." Sirius said.  
"Nothing is true." Harry finished.  
"Where other men are limited by morality or law, remember..." Sirius looked down at his godson proudly.  
"Everything is permitted." Harry finished firmly.  
"We work in the dark to serve the light. We are Assassins." They both said.

Sirius picked up the brand that lay in the fire and pressed in closed around the ring finger of Harry's right hand. The group watched as Harry walked out onto the end of the tower. He stopped and looked down around him. He looked over the decaying port town of Altair, the once prosperous town full of life of all kinds enjoying the freedom and happiness the Assassins sought to brought to all corners of the globe, now devoid of any warmth or energy. Harry turned around and faced his allies.  
"I will return the Isle of Creed and the Guild to glory. Those that seek control will fall." Harry said simply before allowing himself to fall back off the tower and dive into the water.

* * *

Krunal Patil leaned back in his chair looking over the brief he had just finished. It contained all his prior grievances against David Zeirk as well as 20 new ones, all with irrefutable evidence. To top it off he had added the little bit of evidence he had on the attempted murder of his daughter. He was rather proud of it. It had been quite the undertaking to find all that evidence. The money alone had been astronomical. The money Padma's boyfriend had left behind had not even covered the first half of what he had to put forward to nail Zeirk.  
Mr. Patil was going to put David Zeirk away behind bars with this brief, no one could deny this amount of evidence. Some of the things in the pile would put him away by themselves. The older Indian man had not been happy about what his daughters savior had said. He would protect his daughter with everything he had.

The boy had made some points Mr. Patil agreed with, but he believed the Ministry could be fixed without bloodshed. He didn't know what to think of the boy Padma had become infatuated with. He acknowledged that the boy had saved his daughter and for that he was thankful. However with all the boy was doing Mr. Patil could not accept him. He would try and talk his daughter into seeing how misled and dangerous the boy was. Good intentions or not killing was not acceptable. Not to mention he had no idea who the boy was. His daughters future required that she make a good match. In the Wizarding world doors only opened up if you were in certain circles, especially for women. As a foreign witch she needed to marry someone with power in the magical world where names meant everything. He knew she would see his way soon though. She saw this boy as Prince Charming and would soon get over the crush when she realized he wasn't the hero she thought. Mr. Patil smiled at the state of things and went to bed, thinking about what would happen the next day when this hit the Ministry.

Harry sat at a table at the back of the Hammered Hag staring into a glass of Dwarvin Ale and idly wondering if having his intelligence run out of a bar by his friend was going to turn him into an alcoholic. He was waiting for Sirius to come by with the last of the information they needed before they made their final move on Zeirk. Harry was anxious to get the meeting over. The final task of the Triwizard Tournament was supposed to start soon and Harry had promised Neville that he would sneak into Hogwarts to cheer for him.

The young man had spent the last month training hard and it was beginning to show. Harry planned to help the young Longbottom train over the summer. He was sure that soon the boy would be ready for the second rank. Harry's thoughts were broken as a man Harry recognized as one of Lupins thieves burst in the door and ran straight to Harry's table.

"Sir... Zeirk is making a move on Mr. Patil... They have taken him to a boathouse by the docks... Pier 13 warehouse C." The man gasped out leaning against the table heavily.

Harry was already out of his seat and heading for the door. He took to the rooftops cursing Padma's father for provoking Zeirk. He had no doubt that the man had tried the legal approach. He only wished the thieves had heard about it sooner. Harry knew though that the thieves weren't connected to the Ministry. He needed another source of information for that kind of stuff. Harry didn't have time to dwell on the thoughts as he flew across the rooftops.

Harry reached the warehouse where Mr. Patil was being held only to find the whole pier patrolled by Hitwizards. Harry cursed and slowed down to keep the sound to a minimum. He padded slowly across the roof of the first building and was about to jump to the second building when a guard walked around the corner of the Harry was about to jump to roof and he was forced to drop down into the crates below rather than be seen. He crept through the crates stopping twice to let a guard pass by. He made it by the second building and crouched behind a stack of barrels to look across the pier at the warehouse C. There was no avenue of approach that wasn't covered by guards, no avenue but the water. Harry slipped into the water quietly.

Harry traversed the 20 meters to the pier under warehouse C underwater to avoid notice. He surfaced as close to the wooden supports as possible, looking up to find a guard standing on the pier above him. He quietly swam alongside the pier until he came around to the end. He climbed up slowly to take a peek across the dock and make sure the coast was clear. He saw no one and crept onto the pier. He quickly padded over to the door of the warehouse to find it locked.

Harry pulled out his lock pick and began to work on the lock. The lock had one tumbler left when Harry heard a guard walk around the corner. Harry knew he had less than a minute before the man was was close enough to see Harry over the crates. Rather than rush and mess up, Harry took a calming breath and continued. He was rewarded with a click and slipped into the warehouse just in time to close the door before the guard passed by.  
Harry climbed to the loft and crawled to the edge to look out into the room. He spotted David Zeirk standing in the middle of the room talking down at someone. To his right stood the cloaked figure of the Head of the Hitwizards. There were only two guards in the room both of them across the room from Harry stationed by the wall looking past Zeirk and at the door.

"You could end this all if you just told me where your personal copy is." Zeirk yelled back handing whoever was in the chair. He stepped to the side to look at his Hitwizard friend, confirming Harry's suspicions that Mr. Patil was the one in the chair. Mr. Patil's nose was obviously broken, as blood dripped down his face. His right eye was badly swollen and the front of his torn cloak was soaked with blood. Harry sighed wondering what the man had come across that would make Zeirk threaten his own career by torturing and killing the man.

"You will die, bit by bit, until I find the evidence you collected." Zeirk said punching the man in the mouth.

"It won't help. By now the file has reached the Ministry and they will know of your dealings." Mr. Patil sputtered, blood spraying from his beaten mouth.

Zeirk just laughed. "You think the Ministry can help you. By now my friend in the Ministry has destroyed the file and Mr. Malfoy has talked the Minister into pardoning the few past transgressions that have been recorded. They need me. I transported the Dark Lord into the country to rise again. They wouldn't let me be taken down by a worm like you." The German man laughed. His eyes turned serious again though as he looked down at his prey.

"All that is left is the evidence you have." The two men stared at each other for a second before Zeirk slammed his nightstick into the mans ribs.

"Don't take to long. The Dark Lord will call you when he has risen." The Head of the Hitwizards said turning to leave.

"I didn't think you cared all that much. What was it you called us... "Boot lickers" I belive it was." Zeirk said.

"I don't care how you debase yourself. I only care that I get paid, and to do that you need to answer your masters call." The man said making Zeirk laugh and turn to strike Mr. Patil a few times.

Harry watched as the mans face came into view. Harry knew this man would be a future target. He watched the man leave, before sneaking to the opposite side of the room, right over the two guards. Harry knew that the second he dropped down Mr. Patil would be in danger. As much as he Mr. Patil had deserved this after Harry had warned him, it was the creed to save innocents. Well that and Padma would be crushed by her fathers death and Harry couldn't let that happen. He looked around and found exactly what he needed.

He dropped from the loft right in front of one of the guards. As he stood from his crouch he lashed out with his right elbow over his shoulder, hitting the guard behind him in the face. With his other hand he tossed a baling hook on a chain towards Mr. Patil, the chain sliding through his hand. The hook caught on the support between the two back legs of the chair. Harry jerked the chain, looking it around his foot and pulling the chain backwards, towards the floor to keep from just pulling the chair down and dropping Mr. Patil.

With Mr. Patil back out of Zeirks reach Harry grabbed the man he had elbowed and pushed him head first into the mans partner. The Hitwizard's back slammed into the wall as he caught his friend. Harry saw Zeirk make for the door and charged the two tangled Hitwizards. He grabbed the man he had thrown and slammed his back into the wall next to them while jamming his hidden blade into the pinned Hitwizards heart. He turned to the guard that had been too stunned to do anything the whole encounter and rammed the blade into his chest 3 times in quick succession. Harry turned to save Mr. Patil, cursing at Zeirks escape, only to find two of Remus's thieves picking the wounded man up with Sirius not far.

"GO." Sirius yelled. "We will get Mr. Patil to the Hag."

"I will draw off the guards." Harry said running out the door.

He jumped out of the warehouse to find 6 hitwizards advancing on the door. Harry had expected this and as soon as he was out the door two throwing knives spun from his hands. One struck its target in the sternum dropping the man instantly, though the other had been rushed and struck the man in the shoulder. Harry charged the man between Harry and the water between Pier 13 and Pier 14. He grabbed the man's wand arm and pulled him of balance, twisting with the man's stumble to roll across this back.

Having broken the guards perimeter Harry made a run for the water. He jumped onto one of the wooden logs sticking end up out of the water to mark where the dock was for docking ships. He leaped to another and was about to continue the pattern when a spell shot over his shoulder. Instead he dove into the water and swam as quickly as he could to the opposite pier. He had just about made it when he felt his Internal magic stave off the effects of a weak electrical surge. Thankful that the enemy hadn't thought of that sooner, when he wouldn't have been able to make it to safety before they could do it again, Harry climbed out of the water and began to run towards where he saw Zeirk fleeing down the docks. Harry took to the roofs following him for a bit before leaping from a low waterside shack towards the man. Harry's target turned his head to see if he was being followed to find the white robed form of an Assassin lunging towards him, hidden blade shining in the light of the moon. He put his hands up but nothing could stop the blade that plunged into his chest, severing his Aorta. Harry leaned down and grabbed the mans arm to lay it by his side for his final rights when he felt the tug of portkey travel.

* * *

Lord Voldemort stood among his followers once again reborn. He had been forced to use the Longbottom boy for his return as Potter had disappeared. It had infuriated the dark lord that he couldn't use the boy that had caused him such agony as his body was torn apart. However the Prophecy required that he settle for his only remaining option. However he had begun to feel a sense of pleasure to watch the Longbottom boy struggle as he was used for the ritual.

Voldemort remembered the boys father crossing him the three times required by the prophecy. He had never done as much harm to him as James Potter but the humiliation of having someone he couldn't kill that was obviously much weaker than him. He turned his eyes to the young French Veela the boy had brought with him, bound to the headstone nearby. She would please his followers. He reached out and pushed his wand to his Dark Mark signaling to his men to ready themselves. Several of them appeared within seconds having been prepared for his. He looked over the assembled Death Eaters. After his usual speech rewarding the faithful and cursing the failures. He allowed a few of his most accomplished followers to have the girl before releasing an dueling the son of his hated enemy.

It amazed the Dark Lord that this boy had succeeded at winning the tournament. He knew that with Crouch's help the boy had reached the cup but the dragon should have killed the no talent squib. Voldemort paused after a rather harsh bout of Crutiatus to activate the portkeys he had installed in the mark, annoyed that several of the followers he wanted to "thank" had not shown up. The new arrivals brought a surprise that the Dark Lord had not accounted for.

* * *

Harry found himself falling into a crouch in a dark graveyard. The boys reflexes kicked in as he noticed the Dark Lord standing over the tortured from of his apprentice, and the Death Eaters ripping the clothes from a young woman's body nearby. The Death Eaters were surprised by the white cloaked man but not as shocked as they were when two throwing knives embedded themselves in the backs of two of the Death Eaters crouching over the woman while their friend tore her bra off.

Voldemort whirled around to find a man wearing a very familiar set of robes. "Kill him. KILL HIM." The Dark Lord began roaring. His order snapped the Death Eaters into action as they began shooting spells at Harry.

* * *

Neville meanwhile had dropped his wand and charged into the last Death Eater holding Fleur down to the ground. When his Mentor had showed up he had felt relief, however he knew that as an Assassin he had to help the girl that he had dragged into this. She had been so nice, offering to take the cup with him after he saved her from Viktor Krum, snapping the boys arm like Harry had shown him. She didn't deserve what the Dark Lords scum planned for her. It was his job as an Assassin to make sure she didn't have to, or die trying.

Neville tackled the crouching Death Eater sending them both rolling across the grass and down a small hill. Neville flipped over the Death Eater and crashed back first into a headstone. The young man watched the Death Eater tumble past him and pulled himself upright on the headstone and stumbled down the hill towards his enemy. He got to the man as he pulled out his wand and kicked out with his foot, knocking the wand a few feet away. The move however caused the boy to fall as his momentum carried him downhill on one leg. He rolled over onto his back and pushed himself up, jumping onto the Death Eater that was reaching for his wand. Neville slipped his arm around the mans neck and pulled back as the Death Eaters fingers scraped against his magical foci. Neville continued wrapped his arms around the mans neck cutting off air flow, watching the man sink to the ground as he grew weaker. As soon as the man stopped struggling hard enough Neville wrapped his arms around his head and, ignoring the mans feeble attempts to pull free, twisted his head to the side snapping his neck.

Neville rolled of the body the strength leaving his tortured muscles. He saw his Mentor dodge a curse and stab a Death Eater under his mask. Neville pushed himself up again and ran up the hill to crouch next to Fleur. She had pulled her gag out and was leaning against the the Headstone her head in her hands. She looked up as Neville checked on her, tossing his red Hogwarts Champions robe over. He turned and pulled the throwing knife out of the man on the ground next to her and looked up to see Harry in trouble. Neville charged into the fray, his attention focused on one thing.

* * *

Harry jumped to the rolled forwards under a cutting curse jumping up with his arm poised to strike. As he came down he jabbed his arm forward, sinking the blade into a Death Eaters eye as cursed rained down from the hill above. Harry ran up the hill towards the bulk of the Death Eaters. He stepped up onto a headstone without losing pace, and stepped onto a Death Eaters chest knocking him over on his back. Harry turned the fall into a roll and came up in a crouch to thrust his blade out into a mans stomach.

Harry rolled to the right to avoid a second curse but caught a dark bone breaking hex in the shoulder, his magic protected the bone but it still felt like being hit with a sledgehammer. Harry came up out of the roll and leapt forward to catch a headstone mid-jump with his hands. Using the stone, Harry flipped his feet backwards over his head and down into the head of a Death Eater knocking him to the ground.

Harry let go of the stone mid rotation and landed in a crouch over the midsection of the Death Eater. He swiped his blade across the mans jugular and turned his body on his left foot to continue the swipe straight into the small of a Death Eater standing next to the two. The Death Eater screamed as he felt the knife sever his spine. Harry felt a cutting curse hit him in the back on the right side and pulled the falling Death Eater between him and the next curse as the man screamed as it dug into his lung.

Harry turned and grabbed the Death Eater that had cast the spell by the wrist, bringing his arm up outside the mans elbow, tearing the ligaments. The Death Eater screamed in agony and Harry thrust his blade into the mans Kidney. Harry rushed up to the last man between him and Voldemort, he felt a flame hex strike his lower left leg but kept up focusing on ending the battle. He dropped under a killing curse and stepped into the mans guard, grabbing his arm and shifting it as another Killing curse shot out of his wand, into the face of a fellow Death Eater. Harry turned and forced his blade up under the mans mask, through the mans mouth, and into his brain stem above.

* * *

Voldemort was becoming enraged as he watched the Assassin dodge his Death Eaters spells, sweeping through their ranks with ease and leaving corpses behind him. He began to throw killing curses indiscriminately, killing one of his own Death Eaters, but it appeared the damage had been done. The Death Eaters were afraid of this man. He had not only killed 7 of their rank but appeared to be immortal as several lethal spells had hit him dead and not killed him. The Dark Lord watched as him men began to apparate away. He was about to do so himself when he felt a sharp pain in his lower back. He looked down to see the Longbottom boy standing behind him with blood on his hands. His blood he realized. He roared in anger and was about to turn his wand on the boy when he noticed the Assassin leaping off a nearby headstone with his blade, slick with the blood of his subordinates, aimed to strike. He disappeared with a pop rather than be killed.

* * *

Harry landed where Voldemort had been, his blade sinking into the soft earth beneath him. He stood upright and looked over to find his novice rushing over to check on the woman that was nearby. Harry quickly searched the corpses around him for money before walking over to check on the two. Harry saw Neville holding the girl as she cried into his shoulder and leaned down to pull his knife out of the body a short ways down the hill. He walked up and put his hand on Neville's shoulder, catching the young boys attention.

Neville nodded at the silent message and pushed Fleur back to help her secure the Hogwarts robes around he shoulders and cover the bra she had put back on, her panties having been torn to shreds. He helped her stand up and the three of them walked over to grab the Goblet of Fire which distributed them back once more on the Hogwarts lawn.

Several spectators shouted at their arrival and Harry left Neville and his friend on the ground and walked into the crowd as it rushed the two contestants. Dumbledore however had different ideas as he threw up a shield around the champions to stop the oncoming wave of supporters.

"STOP. STOP." The headmaster yelled amplifying his voice for all to hear. "Allow the champions to be checked out by the staff first."

Madam Pomphrey and Madam Maxine rushed over to the two and began to give them a once over. While they were doing that Dumbledore turned to the crowd.

"If the young man who appeared with these two step forward I would like to ask him a few questions." after a few seconds of silence Dumbledore continued. "Does anyone see the man in the white robes that arrived with the champions."

The crowd looked around and after a few seconds they split apart down the center. What Dumbledore saw though wasn't the robes of an Assassin, but rather he found amidst the crowd was the form of his Defense Professor. Moody reached up and grasped his throat. Dumbledore watched as blood flowed over his fingers and he dropped to the ground. The headmaster raced over to find his form shifting to its true form as his magic left his body, revealing Barty Crouch Jr.

* * *

Harry walked out of the back of the crowd unnoticed by the shocked crowd. Smiling at the success of not just killing his target, but killing the man that Neville had told him about at the graveyard. It had been a good night.

Sirius was sitting in the corner of a room above the Hammered Hag as Harry walked in. He quickly looked over the boys slashed and bloody robes. He quickly forced the boy into a seat and watched as he drank a potion.

"What happened? No one could find you or Zeirk." Sirius asked worriedly.

Harry went over the events of the night, starting with his killing of Zeirk. Sirius had been shocked at the news that the Dark Mark had a Portkey in it. He decided that they shouldn't mess with the bodys after death in case they began making them activate shortly after death. After finishing relating the fight in the Graveyard, and Barty Crouch Jr's death they got to talking about Neville's actions.

"He did real good." Sirius agreed after hearing about the boy's willingness to go from tortured one second to saving the Beauxbatons champion the next.

"I think he is ready to be promoted to Novice." Harry said looking his godfather in the eyes.

"Maybe if he was a higher rank that would be a possibility, but the lower ranks are easier to gain for a reason. They require you get a certain level training before you can be promoted, and from what you have told me he isn't trained enough to leave the Novice rank." Sirius said shaking his head.

"He stabbed Voldemort in the back. He stood up after being tortured and put another persons life before his own. He fought like an Assassin. He is ready to move on from watching Padma."

"Harry don't put your personal feelings first. Your essentially the Head of the Assassins. You are not his friend right now." Sirius admonished.

"And as an Assassin, THE ASSASSIN, I am telling you when I was the same rank as him I wouldn't have been able to do half of what he did. If I have to kidnap him and train him all summer I will turn him into an Assassin. I am the Head of the Assassins guild and Neville is ready." Harry declared. Sirius looked into the boys eyes for a second before deciding to let it go. If need be he would test the Longbottoms ability.

"How is Mr. Patil?" Harry asked anxiously.

"Fine. Nothing the old lady couldn't fix." Sirius nodded guiding the younger man into a room across the hall.

Inside Harry found the form of Padma's father. He looked a bit better than he had earlier with the blood cleaned up and his eyes no longer swollen shut. Harry looked over at the woman across the bed crushing some herbs. The Hammered Hag wasn't just a name. It was named for the woman that owned the building. In ages past she had been a healer and potions mistress, one of the best in fact. Though the Purebloods had revoked her business license due to her fame and she had allowed the owner of the Hammered Hag to use her old shop. He had appreciatively named it after her after her first night of drinking in the establishment. She still lived above the bar though and Remus had talked her into joining his Thieves guild as a healer. It was said she had been a beautiful woman, despite the bar's name proclaiming her a hag, but after so many years and 5 bar owners, her 220 year old form was every inch the image set forth by the bars name.

Harry put his hand on the mans shoulder, prompting him to open his left eye.

"Zeirk." The man croaked out through torn lips.

"Dead. But Voldemort has returned." Harry replied. He saw a look of horror pass over the mans face.

"Good. My family... safe."

"No sir, Zeirk was the beginning. The war has just begun." Harry said turning to walk out of the room and save himself from the Indian mans belief that the world could be changed peacefully.

* * *

Harry walked through the crowds of students saying goodbye to each other. He was wearing his hoodie to avoid being noticed by the crowd. He stopped at the top of a flight of stairs to look down on where his targets were.  
Harry watched with amusement as the Beauxbatons champion bent down to kiss a very surprised Neville on the lips. Even the usually emotionless Su Li was laughing openly at his face. Harry walked down the stairs casually and stopped a few feet from the group.

"You seem to be enjoying yourselves." Harry said mirthfully.

Harry watched as his apprentice spun around wide eyed blushing profusely. Padma jumped across the gap between him and threw her arms around his shoulders. He blushed at the familiar contact, glad that his hood hid the coloring, before putting his hands around her back as well. She pulled away and Harry mentally wondered what he should do. The decision was made for him though as she leaned up to give him a kiss. Harry finally pulled away from her and walking over to Neville. He was stopped by the Veela girl who gave him a quick hug. He looked at her confusedly before when she stepped back.

"Zank you for 'elping save me." She said quickly blushing profusely.

"Anytime. I couldn't let them hurt you. Besides Neville is the one that fought for you. The ones I killed were turned away from me He was the brave one." Harry smiled.

"Yes 'e was." The girl said turning her eyes back towards the Gryffindor boy smiling widely. Neville flushed bright red at the girls gaze and Harry had to clear his throat to get them to stop staring at each other.

"Neville if you are quite done flirting we have work to do." Harry motioned the boy to follow.

His retreat was halted however as a slim hand on his shoulder turned him to the side, before he was backed into the stone wall behind him by a set of lips he had become familiar with the last few months. After a few seconds Padma pulled away leaving Harry wide eyed at the attack.

"What about my flirting." Padma said leaning in slowly as she said it, her eyes never leaving his. A few minutes later she pulled back and allowed Harry to step away from the wall.

He looked at his smiling apprentice and narrowed his eyes. The girls laughed at the interplay and Harry swooped back in for one last peck on Padma's lips before walking pat her. He stopped to look at the young Veela that couldn't stop sneaking peeks at Neville.

"If you should ever need saving again. My young apprentice will be happy to help you any time day or night." Harry said smiling.

"Oh I might need zis saving very soon." She said winking at the boy saucily. The boy blushed redder than before.

"Get a move on Novice." Harry shouted softly enough to not attract anymore attention. Neville hurried to fall in line with Harry.

As they walked down the path to the Hogwarts gate Harry noticed Malfoy talking to two Beauxbatons witches. From the looks of it he was trying to be alluring but from the way the two girls looked at him with fake smiles, and the way his eyes kept flashing down at their breasts, he was failing horribly. Harry was passing by when he reached out with his hand pushing Malfoy off the 2 foot drop next to him, into the lake. Crabbe and Goyle both moved to grab Harry when Neville sent them to join their boss.

Neville and Harry bowed slightly to the two girls before walking out of the front gates together. Harry looked over at his friend to see his smile mirrored on his fellow Gryffindors face. Harry liked the feeling of having a friend. He put his hand on his friends shoulder and they were gone.

* * *

Rita Skeeter stood with her editor at the Daily Prophet. It had been a very good year for the journalist. The Triwizard Tournament had of course been a media madhouse, but with an incompetent young man like Neville Longbottom she had earned more than she did in a year each time she wrote about the boy. She was currently talking over something much more serious than the failings of the head of a major magical family. Something that could make her career if she dared use it. However if she waited for a bit more information she could very well retire on this one article alone. It would take some doing though, and liberal use of her illegal animangus form.

"Are you sure you want to wait Rita. We could be the first. Breaking this would be the biggest thing any of us have ever done." Dave Spellman pleaded with the clawed journalist.

"I am sure. He won't show up anywhere soon. We can't just put this out though. We need information, or at least knowledge of someone that could have information on him. An accomplice maybe, or an employer." She assured. Her editor accepted the answer, he knew how powerful what she was implying was. In the end he decided to let her make the choice, she was his best journalist after all.

The two of them looked down at the photo she had snapped just from her place at the front of the Triwizard Tournament stands, of a white robed man walking towards the camera. No one had been able to get a picture of him, but Rita Skeeter had snapped one before he passed her and disappeared into the crowd. The two of them were brought out of their inspection by a voice.

"It isn't very nice to take pictures without asking." Harry said from beside the window as the two whirled around. Their faces paled at the sight of the man.

"It is rather flattering though." Neville said from the other side of the room leaning against a bookcase. The young boy now wore a white hoodie that obscured his face.

"You have slanted the news for your "contributors" for the last time." Harry said his voice no longer joking.

"You have betrayed the peoples trust to many times for your own gain, and you have hurt innocent people in your crusade for fame and fortune." Neville added.

"Families like the Bones, Edens, and Jamisons were killed by Death Eaters because of what you said." Harry continued.

"And let us not forget Penelope Clearwater killing herself because you made her sleep with you to keep her job." Spellman paled at Nevilles words.

"Or ruining Jessica Bridgers life, forcing her into poverty by falsely accusing her and bankrupting her in court. Do you remember how she died. Alone and starving in the cold of an alley of Syphilis, whoring herself out to feed her son... your son." Harry growled.

"You have ruined businesses, accused people of crimes they didn't commit, and defamed good people for yourselves." Neville finished as Harry walked forwards. Spellman backed up, bumping against the desk and falling onto it. Harry flicked his blade out and rushed forwards to pin the man to the desk with his other hand, the blade hovering over the man.

"We do not judge you for your crimes. We simply won't let you continue," Harry said thrusting his blade into the mans heart. Rita Skeeter screamed in fear and sank to her knees at the sight of her boss dying, her pants darkened before urine started to puddle around her. The white robed man looked at his friend and stepped away from her. For a moment she felt relief as she realized he wasn't going to kill her. The feeling vanished as he looked at his companion. The boy nodded and stepped forwards and grabbed the woman by the front of her shirt pulling her to her feet.

"Who are you?" She asked her voice heavy with fear.

"Best not to tell you. Wouldn't want you to die ashamed of being beaten by the weakest squib to ever go go Hogwarts." The boy said tilting his head back so she could see his eyes. She gasped as she realized what he meant before she felt his slide his blade into her stomach. The last thing she saw was the face of Neville Longbottom.

* * *

So what do you think so far. Review. What do you think Neville and Fleur... I don't know I don't see it often and that appeals to me.


	5. Love's Battles

Harry dresses acts, fights, and looks like Ezio more or less. Neville however is going to look like Edward Kenway from Black Flag but fight and dress like Conner from III.

Potters Creed

Harry sat on top of the Inn side of the newly renovated Sleeping Wolf in Altair eating an apple. Below him a pair of dwarves exited the bar and staggered down the streets leaning heavily on each other. Harry chuckled at the site. The dwarves had been all to eager to help when Sirius had asked them to renovate the bar for Remus to set up shop in. A few thieves had even moved their families onto the Isle. Harry felt happy when he saw the once abandoned streets of Altair being populated once more. It was still almost completely empty but Harry hoped that would be changing soon.

An Owl flew over Harry's head and settled on the coop on the roof over the two story bar side of the Sleeping Wolf prompting the Assassin to climb down and retrieve its message. Attached to the Owls leg he found a copy of the new paper that had replaced the Daily Prophet after it had burned down with its editor/owner and head reporter inside.

The Eagle was a fair newspaper that reported the facts in true journalistic style. The paper wasn't a huge publication yet as Remus hadn't found someone to run it yet and it was being put together by a group of thieves in the back of the bar. As soon as they could find someone for the job it would be moved from the back room of the Hammered Hag to its own building on the Isle.

Harry read the paper, taking a bite of his apple. When he was done with the front page he tossed the apple into the sea and walked over to the side of the roof to find his apprentice. He looked over the side to find Neville climbing the side of a building down the street. Harry ran across the roofs to the building, arriving as the Longbottom Heir pulled himself up onto the roof.

Neville had spent the last two and a half months on the Isle training with Harry. He said it was much than sitting alone in an empty Longbottom Manor with his gran. The wizened witch had agreed immediately when she heard it was the Potter Heir he would be staying with, quoting their families ties.

Training Neville had been more difficult than he thought, especially since Sirius refused to help. His Godfather said that Harry needed to training. It would form a bond between the two that would last forever. Sirius had also said that Harry needed to be the one that the order looked up to, as he was the Master Assassin of the Guild.

The difficulty that Harry had with training Neville was more than made up for by the boys abilities. Every skill taught and every exercise Harry gave the boy finished with ease. Harry had been surprised as the younger Assassin's training had progressed at the same rate Harry's had. With Harry's Potter blood the Seal had put Harry far ahead of Neville even after the Longbottom Heir touched the Seal.

Neville stood up and walked over towards where Harry stood. He was taller than Harry by a few inches. His golden blond hair was cut even with his chin. Since his 3 year growth spurt after touching the Seal, Neville had bulked up quite a bit, looking massive next to Harry's lithe musculature.

"Took you long enough Nev." Harry said smiling up at his friend.

"Well I'm sorry that unlike your scrawny ass, I have something to haul up here." Neville said jokingly, knowing that Harry was sore over the fact that since Neville had gotten as big as he was hand to hand training had become much more even.

"Not that any of it is worth a damn. Come on we have work to do." Harry said turning and taking a leap of faith into a wagon of hay.

Neville followed and the two of them walked down the street into the Sleeping Wolf. It was nearly empty being a Saturday morning, however they spotted Remus sitting at the back eating breakfast with Sirius. The two walked back and dropped down into the chairs across the table as the Barmaid walked over with two plates for the Assassins. They accepted the food and thanked the woman before she turned to walk back to her spot behind the bar. The boys eyes stayed on her retreating form longer than was necessary prompting Sirius and Remus to snigger.

"Oi Nev isn't there a certain French Veela that would melt your balls off for that glance." Sirius replied pushing the newspaper Harry had laid on the table and spreading the letters that had come with it apart to reveal a letter from Fleur.

"Hey why am I the only one that gets picked on. Harry has a huge crush on Padma and no one gets onto him." Neville said blushing furiously as he stabbed at Sirius's hand with his fork to keep the man from grabbing the letter.

"Yes but Harry doesn't write her like you do for your courtly flower (Fleur De la Cour), so he can get away with it." Remus answered sneaking his hand forward as well causing the Longbottom to change his target. With the werewolf going in for the distraction Sirius shot his hand back into the fray, grabbing the letter and pulling it back to read it aloud.

"OH DEAREST NEVILLE. How long the days without you have been. I count the days until you may hold me in your arms once more..." Sirius was cut off as he dived to the side to avoid Neville's throwing knife.

"Hey now that is dangerous you might hit the letter." Sirius grinned rolling across the neighboring table to avoid the Longbottom's grasping hands.

"I dream of you every night. My body cannot wait for your ginormous..." The older Assassin was cut off as Neville tackled him, overturning a table and ending up tangled up in the fallen bar stools.

"Ehem." The two Assassins stopped fighting to look up at the cross face of the barmaid looking down at them as she leaned over the bar.

Harry and Remus roared with laughter as the two sheepishly extricated themselves and fixed the furniture before slinking back to the table. Neville sat down smoothing the crumpled letter.

"Man she is just as scary as her great grandmother." Sirius said scooching over so Neville was between him and the woman.

"Wait who is her grandmother?" Harry asked confused at why Remus was laughing so hard. His question only made the werewolf laugh harder, putting his head in his arms as tears could be seen in the corner of his eyes.

"Harry you and Neville were just checking out the daughter of the Hag." Sirius said grinning. The two Neville looked up at the two and then turned to meet eyes with Harry. They both shivered making the two older men laugh harder.

"Anyways what are we going to do about this?" Harry said pushing the newspaper across the table towards his mentor. The man looked over it while Harry spread marmalade across his toast.

The article was about the Ministry being afraid for Hogwarts students well being. The Minister had appointed not only his lackey in the Defense Against the Dark Arts position but was contracting with an outside group for the security of the school. The picture was of Adam Marhefke and Erik Begitske, the head of a Hitwizard group from Germany. Sirius read over it, his eyes widening at the news.

He raised his head to look at Neville and Harry as he answered "Well boys it sounds like you two are going to Hogwarts."

Harry cursed loudly but was cut off before he could run out of swear words.

"Harry Fleur needs our help." Neville said looking at his friend.

Harry was crouched on the roof of an apartment complex in the residential Lorem Alley. He looked over as Neville walked up next to him.

"Anything yet." The boy asked Harry.

"Yeah she has been cooking for the last half hour, did you talk with our esteemed friends." Harry answered looking up at his friends worried face.

"Yeah we have a meeting with them whenever we want." Neville said surprising Harry. He would wonder about it later though as he stood and put his hand on his friends shoulder reassuringly.

"Nev we will save her." Harry said. Neville shared a gaze with his mentor before turning and looking down at top floor window of their targets flat.

"I know Master." Neville answered letting out a long sigh, his shoulders relaxing. Harry let his hand fall to his side before looking back into the window.

"There she is." Harry said.

The two Assassins watched as Fleur Delacour walked into the kitchen once more to prepare a plate of the food Harry had watched her make. She was joined by another figure. The man sat down at the table as she walked over with his plate. Neville stiffened as Bill Weasley kissed her as she set the plate on the table. The kiss lasted much longer than originally expected as he pulled her down into his lap, breakfast forgotten. Harry would have made a joke about the food getting cold or having her for breakfast but the Longbottom Heirs anger was flowing off of him in waves. Harry decided that lightening the moment was not what the situation needed and instead leaned down to pick up a loose piece of concrete at his feet and throw it into the window. He dropped to the roof dragging Neville down by his Assassins robe.

Bill jerked back away from the Veela at the sound of glass breaking. He looked over at the debris and pushed her off his lap with a growl to go fix the window. When he was done he sat down and began to eat his breakfast. Fleur picked herself up and retreated back into the kitchen.

Neville growled loudly at the red headed mans actions towards his crush and Harry grabbed hold of his robes to pull Neville's face in front of his.

"Get a FUCKIN hold of it. We will deal with him but you need to chill out until we do or else this might cause more problems than it will fix." Harry said no longer acting as his friend and putting on his Master persona.

Neville nodded and the two watched as Bill finished and grabbed his coat. With a kiss goodbye from the Veela he walked out of the flat.

"You deal with her. I will shadow him. Meet up at Gringotts when you are done." Harry said, getting a nod from his apprentice before following Bill down the street.

Neville jumped from the roof, grabbing onto the open window. He climbed silently through and walked into the kitchen. Fleur was washing dishes in the sink across the room and jerked at the sound of his voice.

"Fleur?" She turned to find a familiar robe on a much larger man. Her eyes widened as the hood fell away to reveal the young boy that had saved her a few months before.

"Neville!" She gasped. Neville started to advance on her his arms open when she threw herself against the counter behind her. "NO."

Neville looked winced at her reaction.

"I can't. It was all I could do to send that letter." She said looking at his hurt face.

"What happened?" He asked.

"I met Bill Weasley at work. We got along well and he invited me out with some friends of his. We were supposed to meet at his flat." She teared up and Neville resisted the urge to hug her.

"It when I got there he invited me inside and said he just had to grab his coat. When I stepped inside I didn't notice the runic circle on the floor. He bound me." She broke out into sobs and sank to the floor with her back against the sink. Neville sank to one knee beside her and touched her wrist. She yanked it back and hissed in pain as if burned.

"How did he do it?" Neville asked.

"Some Mayan ritual he learned curse breaking. I couldn't move. It hurt so bad... then he mad me..." She couldn't finish as sobs racked her body.

"How can we break it?" Neville asked unsure what to do to help her.

"It isn't complete. It takes time to solidify. I sent the letter as soon as I could..."

"How soon?" Neville cut her off. She sniffed and hid her face in her hands.

"A day." She said.

"I couldn't tell you sooner. He kept me in his apartment for a week and a half to make sure it had taken hold and I couldn't break it myself. I couldn't tell anyone. I finally regained some control when I got your letter. It took all my will power to keep it until I could send the letter to you." She cried.

"We will take care of it." Neville said standing and walking towards the door. When she looked up he had disappeared.

Harry stood in front of a large pair of golden doors in a hallway of Gringotts. After he had snuck in through a back entrance he had met with a goblin named Griphook who had taken him into the back through the offices. Imagine the Assassin's surprise when he ended up in front of Bank Head Ragnarok. Harry wasn't entirely sure what he had helped them recover from Zabini but he was sure whatever it was was important if he got this kind of treatment.

"Enter" A voice from the other side of the door said.

Harry did as he was told, stepping into a small cluttered office. He was surprised and obviously Ragnarok noticed.

"I do not require much space to do my job Mr. Potter." He smiled widely showing a row of sharp teeth.

"Indeed and what a prestigious job it is. I thank you for this meeting." Harry said bowing to the goblin.

"There is no need to bow. I am simply a glorified banker not a king." Ragnarok chuckled

"Still I simply asked for someone that could help me. I did not expect someone as important as you to take time out of his busy schedule for something this minor." Harry answered.

"You did us a great service giving us the location of the liquid Mithril we lost. Without you we would not have been able to power the reactor that keeps our unbreakable wards standing. For that I thank you. For that you are our most special client." Ragnarok bowed his head in thanks. "Now as for this Weasley, we also would like him taken care of."

"Can you tell me about him? Anywhere I can find him alone?" Harry asked. Ragnarok simply smiled at the thought of bloodshed.

"We know he will be meeting with another family of goblins to sell them our secrets." Ragnarok answered.

"I thought the goblins only fought humans." Harry said confused.

"Ah that we do, though that has been for land and safety. The Goblin Families have fought since the founding of the goblin banking empire. These particular Goblins are of the Greek Family. They wish to control our English territory. Territory my family has held since the founding of the banking families." He snarled in reply.

"You fight over banks?" Harry asked trying to grasp the concept.

"Yes. My family originally only ran this bank, but through the years we have gained the French and the Belgium territory and opened Gringotts in them. This has put us on par with families like the Swiss Goblins, the Italian Goblins, and the Spanish Goblins." The goblin smiled proudly, though it only came off menacing like the rest of his expressions. "Now the aggressive German goblins and the failing Greek goblins want some of the action. You will kill Bill and these Greek Goblins so we may take their bank."

"I can do that. So that is how it is done you just have me kill your competition and you take over?" Harry wondered aloud.

"Well with them weakened we will send some of our men with fake information which we will use to take them over. It isn't personal it is just business." The goblin responded.

"You sound like the Mafia." Harry said incredulously. Ragnarok just laughed.

"We are Mr. Potter." He smiled. "When are you going to need to reopen the Gringotts branch on the Isle of Creed?"

"Soon sir. We still need to get a few more people before it will be necessary. We will contact you as soon as we are ready." Harry replied.

The goblin pushed a packet of papers across the desk for Harry to pick up and look at. "That is what you will need to find where you will kill them."

"It will be done Master Goblin." Harry promised.

The head banker shook his head at the statement. "Call me Don Gringott."

Harry met his friend back atop the roof of Gringotts. Neville looked angry enough that even Harry was slightly frightened of him.

"He tried to bind her. We have to kill him tonight." The boy said stomping across the marble rooftop.

"We will Neville. He is meeting a few goblins from an enemy family tonight and Don Gringott wants us to kill them. It is perfect for you. Nice and open, not to mention secluded. Don't forget your not exactly based on stealth." Harry said gesturing to his weapons.

Neville's large frame had allowed him to fight in a much more aggressive style, not to mention it was harder to hide. He had taken to using a hatchet for most of his training rather than a hidden blade. Harry had found the boy much more proficient in the northern forests of the Isle of creed than the enclosed streets of Altair.

Neville's anger lessened at the information and he was able to school his face back into the neutral expression that Assassins were trained to keep.

"Fine but I get to be the one to kill him." Harry just smiled dangerously prompting a similar smile on Neville's face at the thought of a good fight.

Harry and Neville stood atop a cliff overlooking a field with a Druid portkey station similar to Stonehenge. It was much larger than the famous monument having three rings of standing stones around the central 5 stones.

Just outside the ring of stones was Bill Weasley laid out on a picnic blanket with his head in Fleur's lap. Neville had obviously not enjoyed the view and Harry had seen him running his hand over the Assassins symbol that created the dull part of his hatchet. (Conner's hatchet from III)

Harry had been thankful the boy had taken his training enough to wait until the goblins showed up rather than blow the whole thing because of his personal emotions. Assassin's always waited for the perfect moment to strike, even if the way Neville struck was much more blunt force than Harry's use of speed and agility. Sirius had decided they could work really well together.

A group of 12 warrior caste goblins appeared inside the stone circle and walked out before another regular sized goblin of the noble class, their leader appeared and walked out into the field to meet with Bill. The red haired curse breaker stood up and walked over to talk to the leader. Harry turned to Neville and nodded his head causing the boy to break cover and drop down. He took off across the field sprinting as fast as he could. Harry dropped down surprised at the boys speed, even he was having trouble catching up.

The goblin guards stepped forward and circled the Wizard and their leader. Bill tossed a ward stone onto the blanket causing it to create a blue dome over the Veela to keep her protected from the fight. Harry out distanced his friend and sent two throwing knives spinning into the wall of guards killing two of them and jumping clear over a third as he thrust forward with his sword. Neville was right behind but was cut off as the goblins reformed and split apart. Six of the goblins went after Harry while the other four blocked Neville.

Neville was faced by a goblin armed with a cutlass. The goblin swung at the boys waist causing him to step back. As soon as the sword had passed by him Neville stepped forward and punched the goblin in the face causing him to stagger back, his sword held loosely in front of him. Neville kicked the flat of the blade causing the dull side to fly up and hit its bearer in the face. A second kick to the groin caused the goblin to fall to his hands and knees. Neville didn't stop though, bringing his foot up and stomping down on the back of his neck. The goblin was forced face first into the ground, his neck being forced further than possible and breaking with a loud snap.

Neville turned to find 3 goblins advancing on him and turned running up the front of one of the standing stones, jumping off to the left towards the side of the stone next to it. He pushed off of the second stone immediately with his left foot using it to reach up and grab the top of the original stone. He pulled himself up onto the horizontal stone bridged between the first stone and a third stone to its right.

One of the goblins stabbed at Neville with the spike atop his halberd. Neville stepped away from the swing and kicked the polearm back with his heel. The heavy axe blade atop the weapon fell to the ground sinking into the grass under Neville. The goblin holding fell forward as it pulled him onto his hands and knees. Neville grabbed his rope dart on his back and threw it down to wrap around his neck. Neville jumped back off the stone hoisting the goblin up into the air, his feet kicking as the rope around his neck tightened cutting off his airflow. Neville landed on the ground pushing the dart at the end of the rope into the ground with his foot as he did to hold the Goblin in place.

The other two goblins advanced under the form of their friend. Neville sidestepped the downward axe swing of the first, grabbing the weapon just under the blade. The second he diverted with his hatchet to land on the ground on the other side of him. He jerked the first goblin towards him, causing him to lose his weapon and stumble past Neville. The Assassin twirled the polearm around and brought the axe down on the other goblins halberd that he held trapped to the ground with his hatchet, breaking it in half just below the blade. Neville took the halberd in his hand and thrust forward lifting the goblin, whose weapon he had just broken, up off the ground as it sank into his throat.

He was forced to drop the goblin on a stick to turn and block a knife strike from the remaining goblin with his hatchet. He lashed out with his foot catching the creature in the chest. The goblin stumbled back as the air was knocked from his lungs. He blinked back tears, only for his eyes to widen as the white hooded man picked up the broken off blade of his friends halberd and throw it at him.

Neville watched as the axe head sunk into the goblins chest knocking him to the ground dead. He turned to find Harry jumping in and out of the stones followed by blade wielding goblins and dodging Bill's spells. He took off running towards the wizard, climbing through the masonry of the old ritual site. He noticed a goblin using a crossbow about to shoot at Harry from his position on top of a stone further on to his right. He pulled his English longbow off his shoulder and, while still running, twisted to fire off an arrow of his own. The goblin archer fell off the side of the stone with the arrow protruding from his eye. Neville dropped the bow and leaped off last stone towards where the enemy wizard stood on top of the outer ring of stones, his hatchet held behind his head. He watched as Bill reacted to his leap, turning to fire a spell at the airborne Assassin.

Harry raced towards the lead goblin but was cut off as Bill cast an exploding hex at the ground between them, forcing Harry to dive to the side. Coming up from his roll in a crouch Harry. He was faced with a goblin carrying a warhammer. Harry jumped back as its head crashed to the ground where he once stood. He quickly spun on his right leg, bringing his hidden blade down to swipe across the goblins eyes blinding him.

Harry dodged another curse from Bill and decided to take the fight into the standing stones where he would have some cover. He sprinted into the stones just as another explosive hex flew by sending stone debris flying everywhere. A goblin came through the dust of the explosion only to catch the bottom of Harry's foot straight in the face, slamming him against the side of the stone arch he was under. A second Goblin stepped under the arch to stab at Harry with a sword. The assassin grabbed the goblins wrist and stepped up under his arm lifting him up on his shoulder to slam him into the stone.

Harry ducked as his assassins senses warned him of a third hex. The hex caught the goblin he had kicked in the shoulder blasting it off and continuing on into the stone. The stone fell backwards prompting the stone set on top of it to fall, crushing the screaming goblin and his disoriented friend beneath it.

Harry turned to parry a sword thrust when a crossbow bolt sank into his shoulder under his cape. Harry slammed his left fist into the side of the goblin he was fighting's head, disorienting him in order to thrust his hidden blade into the goblins side. He stepped back pulling the bolt from his shoulder and looking around to spot a goblin crossbowman standing on a stone not far away. He dipped back into the second ring of stones to avoid a curse from atop one of the nearby stones.

Harry crouched inside an archway further on in the second ring as the goblins moved towards where they had last seen him. He watched a spear pass him and reached out to grab it, pulling its wielder forward and face first into his knee. The goblin staggered back, sticking his hand out to keep himself up, leaving his unprotected back towards the Assassin who quickly ran him through with his own spear. He pulled back leaving the spear embedded in the ground to hold him up before ducking into the next ring to avoid an ice spear from Bill. Now inside the inner ring Harry watched as the last two goblins walking beside each other to keep from another surprise attack.

The two goblins looked up to see their enemy coming down at them as he jumped off of a fallen piece of the inner ring, his hidden blade unsheathed beside his head ready to strike. Harry knocked caught the first one in the face with his hidden blade before pulling it out to bat a sword strike aside. He grabbed the goblin by the front of his mail shirt and swung him around to catch the crossbow bolt headed for Harry right in the center of the back.

Harry watched as the enemy archer fell from his vantage point with an arrow in his face, before turning towards the goblin leader. The shorter goblin looked straight at Harry before taking off running. Harry grabbed the one of the pole arms at his feet before hefting it at the golden mailed form fleeing down the hill. He watched with pride as it speared his target.

Harry walked out of the ring of stones to find Neville crouched next to the prostrate body of Bill Weasley, his hatchet embedded in the mans skull. Neville was breathing hard after the finish of his first fight. Harry was about to say something when a large surge of magic caused the two men to look over at where Fleur was still trapped under the runic shield. Neville grabbed his hatchet and took off running towards her with Harry not far behind. By the time Harry reached them Neville was pounding on the barrier with his hatchet.

"Harry how do we take it down?" Neville asked looking over wild eyed.

"Shit I don't know Nev. I didn't take ancient runes." Harry answered honestly. "What is wrong."

"The bond it is finalizing. When he died his magic started to leave his body and my bond fed on it. It is speeding it up. If it finishes before the last of Bill's magic dissipates then I will be bound and as soon as it does I will die." The Veela explained strangely calm as the bond forced her to accept the process. Neville however began hacking at the shield with even more force.

"Harry help me." He yelled. Harry didn't know what to do.

"Neville, it isn't working." Harry grabbed his friend to keep him from hurting himself. Neville looked at Harry for a second, betrayal and hurt clouding his eyes. Harry watched as the hatchet fell from his hand.

Neville reached out and pushed his hand against the dome. The teens were surprised when his hand started to sink into the barrier. Surprise quickly turned to pain as Neville began felt electricity surging through the shield into him. He continued to push though, forcing his other arm in down to the elbow to match the first. Harry couldn't imagine the pain the boy was feeling as the skin of his arms began to steam. He was in to the shoulder now and he began to force his body in.

Suddenly with a pop the shield was gone, collapsed as Neville broke enough of it to cause it to fail. Neville fell face first down on the blanket and reached up to grab the front of Fleur's shirt pulling her down into a kiss. The magic around them changed as Fleur began to shine.

It finally dimmed until Harry was able to see Fleur holding Neville's head as they kissed. Finally they pulled apart to stare into each others eyes.

"Your magic was enough to overpower Bill's. I bonded to you." She finally said smiling happily, tears shining in the corners of her eyes. Neville smiled back and they kissed again.

"That isn't really hard considering you overpowered a dead man." Harry said getting tired of watching the two make out. Neville just lashed out with his foot, catching Harry in the ankle and forcing him to hop a few feet away.

Finally Harry decided to go grab his throwing knives and anything the goblins had of use, as well as Neville's bow that he had seen earlier. Harry spent a good 10 minutes finding things to look for before finally returning just in time to see the two pull apart. Harry tried really hard to keep his comment in but he watched as Fleur looked lovingly into Neville's eyes while stroking his cheek he decided it was worth it.

"Oi nice view eh Nev." Fleur looked down to see that in his rush to grab her Neville had pulled the buttons on her blouse off, leaving it open to reveal a black lace bra. Neville however blushed neon red in the dark causing Harry to have to bend over with his hands on his knees to keep standing. Fleur however just smiled and leaned over to kiss Neville, making sure that her chest stuck out just right so he got an eyeful. Harry waited until they were done to throw Neville over his shoulder and take them to the Hammered Hag.

Harry was sitting in a compartment on the Hogwarts express leaning against the wall with his feet up on the bench, using the wall across from him as a dart board with his throwing knives. Neville sat across from him leaning back, asleep. After the fight with the goblins he had been badly burned and had spent the last 2 weeks of break in the Hammered Hag being looked over by the hag. Well and Fleur but that wasn't really medicinal in nature. Harry had walked in on enough to know that knocking on Neville's door from now on was a very good idea. Sirius and Remus had been pissed because Harry had taken the boat and the two of them had to sail over with some of the thieves on what could only be called a bath tub with a sail. After Harry and Neville had left they had promised to take Fleur back to the Isle with them.

Harry was kinda looking forward to hanging out with Ron and Hermione again. He knew that they were immature, but they had been his first friends. He just wasn't all that ready to deal with Hermione's authority worship or scholastic fanaticism. Ron's laziness and pigheaded stupidity didn't real get him all fired up for the school year either.

The year was also shadowed by the presence of Albus Dumbledore. The headmaster had sent a surprised letter when Harry had sent his letter of intent to his Head of House. Sirius had explained the young "wizard's" absence by saying that after an attempt by a former Death Eater to kill Harry Sirius had taken him out of the country to keep him safe for awhile. Harry was to stick to the cover story and everything would be fine. He was just glad that the seal had given him natural Occulmency shields.

Harry was surprised when Padma opened the door with her friend Su Li.

"Hey Nevil..." Harry had no time to prepare as he was almost knocked over by the young Indian girl.

"Hey Padma." Harry laughed wrapping his arms around her.

"Oh my God I can't believe your here. Why are you going to our school." She said excitedly.

"Well I figured Neville needed some company so I tagged along." Harry laughed. Padma turned to look at the Longbottom Heir only to gasp at the changes he had gone through due to the seal. She had wondered why all the girls knew which compartment he was in.

"Neville you look... Good on you Neville. Bravo." She said trying to find words.

"Thanks it isn't that much." The shy boy blushed.

"That isn't what he said when his Veela sweetheart showed how much she liked it." Harry said smiling.

"Hey I couldn't stop her. I mean... You know..." The boy said blushing even redder if possible.

"Of course. You couldn't use your hands so obviously her mouth was the next best option. I just wish I hadn't surprised her at the exact same time as the eruption of mount Longbottom." Harry smiled before ducking under a throwing knife. Padma blushed bright red at the implication.

"Well if you hadn't come in she wouldn't have... and then... and you wouldn't..." Neville pulled his hood up and leaned back but it only made his blush more obvious framed by the white hood.

"Nev. I am going to tell you this once. I did NOT need to see my mate shoot his load on his girlfriends face. So next time I walk in you are to fucking hold it in. That is an order." Even the ever quiet Su Li had turned red.

"So this club your in... can anyone join?" Padma asked walking her fingers up Harry's chest to boop his nose, deciding to save the young man from his torture.

"No gotta have a certain goals and dedications I'm afraid." Harry said wrinkling his nose at the motion.

"Aw but I can have those things." Padma pouted.

"Harry's cock is not on the list of required goals I'm afraid." Neville chimed in deciding to be nasty to get back at his mentor.

Padma blushed and decided to change the conversation by introducing her friend to her crush. They talked a bit about the up coming year. Harry was surprised she hadn't caught on that he knew way more than he should and was talking like a student. Their conversation however was interrupted by Malfoy and his two goons deciding to come by and harass Neville.

"Longbottom I heard you actually had the balls to return after the travesty that was last year." Malfoy said before stopping at the sight of a much larger Neville standing from his seat.

"Business or pleasure Nev?" Harry asked setting Padma down from his lap to stand by his apprentice.

"As much as I want to say pleasure I know you have more claim." Neville said cracking his knuckles.

"Ah have I ever told you that you are the best apprentice I could ask for?" Harry smirked.

"No you told me I was a sorry pain in the ass that wasn't worth what didn't drip down my mother's leg actually." Neville replied.

"Well I lied. The pleasure shall be all mine."

"What are you to queer's talki..." Malfor was cut off as he was kicked in the stomach hard enough to launch him back into the compartment door across the hall.

He was kept from falling to the floor by a forearm across his throat that cut off his oxygen flow. After a second of thought his two lackeys moved forward to grab Harry, only to have Neville grab them by the back of the head and slam them into each other. They sank to the floor. Crabbe was holding his forehead while Goyle had his hand over his nose, blood leaking under his fingers.

"Listen you puddle of pus ridden anal seepage. If you mess with me, or my friends, I will personally stick my foot so far up your ass the water on my knee will quench your thirst." Harry hissed into the Slytherin boys face before letting him slide to the floor gasping.

"WHAT IS GOING ON HERE." A familiar voice shouted. Harry turned to find Hermione standing down the hall wearing a prefects badge.

"Oh hey Hermione I was wondering where you were. Prefect... man that is great. Oh I was just so happy to see Malfoy here after a year and must have gotten to excited when I hugged him." Harry said running his hand through his hair, "accidentally" pulling the hair away from his scar.

"H...Harry." Hermione gasped at the sight to shocked to move.

"POTTER?" Malfoy shouted. The Slytherin boy paled and stumbled to his feet to disappear down the hallway with a final "my father will hear of this" after Harry glared down at him.

"It's really you?" Hermione asked.

"Well yeah I'm... me." Harry answered. He was ready for the rib crushing hug that nearly knocked him off his feet.

"Ohmygoshwheredidyougonooneknewwhathappened." She squealed forcing everyone to wince at the sound. Harry rubbed his hear with his right hand while patting her on the back with his left.

"Hey mate where were you last year. Dumbledore said you were in a safe house for your own protection." Ron said walking up to shake hands with Harry over the shoulder of their friend.

"I was with Sirius." He replied as Hermione let him go.

"We were so worried about you. After the Death Eaters attacked the world cup we thought you might be in grave danger." Hermione frowned. "You sure grew."

Harry laughed at his female friends blush and felt Padma's hand wrap around his waist.

"Yeah I had some potions after all that malnutrition from the Dursleys they really helped me out." He answered.

Padma couldn't help but feel a twinge of anger at Hermione checking out Harry. She had been surprised to find out that she had known her crush all along. She had been flirting with Harry FREAKING Potter and she hadn't even known it. Most of the school wanted to date the Boy-Who-Lived, her sister included. Padma had been forced to listen to the girls of Ravenclaw talk about how cute and innocent he was. How they wanted to take care of him. It had creeped her out that they talked about him like a little boy that needed a mother one moment and then the things they would do to him in bed the next.

She had never had a crush on the boy, leaving that to people like Cho Chang and Marietta Edgecombe. If anyone had told her he would turn out to be a hot flirty heartthrob she would have laughed at him but here she had been dreaming about him without knowing it. It sort of made sense that he was fighting Death Eaters now.

She listened to her crush talk about Voldemort and himself with his friends. She had recognized him when he had shown up with Neville and the Beauxbatons champion during the third task, but he was lying to his friends about his involvement.

"What you don't know is that I am secretly the white robed man." Harry said jokingly causing his friends to laugh.

Padma looked up at him and he winked at her. She felt her heart flutter and stopped caring. If he wanted to tell his friends he would. She was too busy looking into his beautiful green eyes.

* * *

Harry was about to get up from the Gryffindor table when his Head of House came by to rope him into a meeting with the Headmaster. Harry sighed at the thought of the long conversation that was no doubt going to be keeping him from his warm bed.

Harry walked through the halls rubbing his head. It had been bad enough that he had to listen to Hermione talk constantly about what he had missed and what she had learned that wasn't in the curriculum. Not to mention the girl seemed to have an endless stream of questions about their time apart. Every aspect of his cover story was tested as she spewed asinine questions about things he wouldn't have been able to answer if it was true. At least Ron was silent, making Harry actually thankful for the red headed boys horrendous manners. The Assassin was sure if you gave him poisoned food and told Ron the food was poisoned and there was enough ketchup then it wouldn't matter because the red head would be dead.

The new Defense teacher looked totally incompetent and completely ridiculous. As for the castles new "security" the hall had two Hitwizards at each door and a Hitwizard at each corner of the room. The only Templars he could see were the four stationed behind the staff table. It was looking like Harry might actually have to work.

When he looked up Harry noticed the Gargoyle guarding the headmasters office already turning aside. As soon as Harry was in the room he felt his eyes itch as his mental shields blocked the Headmasters probe.

"Harry my boy have a seat." The man said showing no sign that he had just tried to mind rape his student. "Lemon Drop. No. Alright. I was just wondering where you had been for the last year."

"Like my godfather said in his letter, I was in Spain in the Blacks summer house. I couldn't very well stay at the Dursley's with Vernon dead and the Death Eaters knowing where I was." Harry answered putting extra stress on the word letter in an attempt to make Dumbledore realize that he wasn't going to get any new information.

"Why didn't you come to me I could have protected you, especially during the school year." The man said trying to play sad in an attempt to guilt Harry. It of course didn't work.

"I got to be with my Godfather, the only family I have left." Harry said.

"Well that is certainly a silver lining." Harry's headache gotworse as he watched the man switch emotions like a bipolar 13 year old girl. "I was going to ask if you and your Godfather would like to join the Order of the Pheonix. It is a group devoted to the fighting of the Dark Lord and his followers. Your parents were a part of it during the last war."

Dumbledore knew that Harry would jump for a chance to do anything his parents would have approved of. Especially if he got to do it with his godfather. The order was just what Dumbledore needed to get Harry fired up about fighting the Dark Lord. After all how else was Dumbledore to mold the young man into his "apprentice" and assume his place as adviser after the Dark Lord was cast down once again. Dumbledore was busy imagining the groveling he would receive as the mentor to the Boy-Who-Lived.

"No thanks Sirius is good with staying in hiding in Spain, the manor is right on the beach and there are all those hot women in Bikinis. Personally I think I should work on my education first. It really isn't my place to be fighting in a battle with wizards when I don't even have my owls." Harry replied.

"My boy I have to say your dedication to your schooling is admirable. If you should need any help in a subject feel free to come to me anytime. I do believe that curfew will begin soon and you should be in your bed well on your way to happy dreams before it begins." Dumbledore said standing up and gesturing towards the door. As soon as Harry left though his face fell.

He wasn't going to be able to cash in on his defeating of Grinewald much longer if Harry was to become the new hero. He needed a way to keep his status. With this new dedication to schooling maybe Dumbledore could interject himself as Harry's mentor. The boy was not the most studious of teens and no doubt he would begin to fail his classes after having missed a year. The old wizard smiled at the thought, rudimentary lessons would only get in the way of his teachers schedule so the Headmaster would be glad to help him out. Yes that might work.

Harry trudged up the stairs to the empty dormitory and fell face first onto his bed, expelling a loud sigh that could be heard by his friend in the bed across the room.

"So he grill you about things he already knew?" Neville asked spreading his feet so he could see Harry's hand give him the finger.

"Well that isn't very nice." Harry's rather colorful retort was cut off by the door opening to reveal their other dorm mates. They all got ready and went to bed.

* * *

Sorry this chapter was short I wanted to get what counted as their summer out of the way. Also it felt like a good place to stop while I work on the next chapter. Alright we seem short on reviews so pay your dues freeloaders. This chapter was really for the Neville/Fleur lovers. The next chapter will be for Umbridge haters.


	6. Back to the Halls of Hogwarts

Alright I'm going to introduce some new Assassins in this one and I'm sure you will be able to tell who. I am still looking for suggestions of Mercenary leaders for the Order, preferably good spellcasters who could probably get physical in a fight if need be.

Potters Creed

Harry woke up early the next morning and proceeded to dress for the day. A thrown pillow made sure Neville was up and getting ready not long after. The two trudged down to the common room and out into the castle. The two took as many shortcuts and back tracks as possible to get a good feel for where everyone was. It appeared that the Hitwizards were being housed not far from the Infirmary, as several piled out of a portrait hole to head to breakfast early to get security set up. Wherever the Templars were staying though, they were keeping a low profile.

With a quick nod to Neville the two walked down the hall to go get breakfast. Their wandering had taken a bit of time but they were still the first ones in the hall. They ended up sitting for a half hour talking before the food appeared on the table. Harry was just finishing his toast when Hermione and Ron showed up.

"Morning Harry." The Hermione said sitting beside Harry.

"Morning." He smiled at the two.

"Why didn't you wait for us?" Ron asked already shoveling as much food as he could onto his plate.

"Well I got up pretty early. I figured you wanted to sleep." Harry answered shrugging.

"Blimey Harry, what possessed you to get up before even Hermione. We all know she didn't sleep last night." Ron admonished. Harry and Neville laughed while Hermione tried to stammer out a response.

"Oh come on Hermione we all know you were too excited to sleep. Probably read one of our books until you passed out." Harry laughed. She blushed but couldn't find a good retort.

Harry was distracted momentarily as he watched Padma walk in. After a quick wave and a smile she took a seat at the Ravenclaw table. A kick to his shins broke him from his staring to glare at his fellow Assassin.

"Oi what was that for you ass." Harry rubbed his shin.

"Language Harry." Hermione admonished before Neville could respond.

"Looks like your gonna have a problem this year." The Assassin apprentice said jerking his head to the side. Harry looked over to find Ginny Weasley with a glassed over look in her eyes.

"Shiiiiiiii..." He stopped short looking over at Hermione, who was waiting for him to finish. "iiiitake mushrooms."

"Imagine if she saw what was under you shirt." Neville said waggling his eyebrows causing Hermione to look at him questioningly.

"Why what is under his shirt?"

"Ah..." Harry didn't realize she was reaching for him until it was too late to put his drink down. His orange juice sloshed over his arm as he slammed it onto the table and tried to grab her hand. He was just a few seconds late though.

"Holy Shit Harry when did you get so much muscle." She gasped, blushing as her eyebrows shooting upwards in surprise. Harry pushed her hand away gently before drying his sleeve. Of course all the girls around him, including Ginny had heard what she had said. Their attention was focused solely on the bits of him that were not covered by his cloak.

"Sorry Harry." Hermione said lowering her head.

"Its ok Hermione." Harry said rubbing his temples. If there was anything he did not need it was more female attention.

"Dude your so screwed." Neville laughed putting his head in his arms to quiet the uproarious laughter that followed. Harry settled for glaring at his humored friend. All witty retorts were lost when McGonnagall passed out the schedules. Harry scowled at the time table until she was far enough down the table.

"Potions first thing. Fuck." Harry groaned.

"Language Harry." Hermione chided.

Harry watched as Neville rolled his eyes, knowing Harry was gonna have trouble adjusting back to school. The two stood up and started towards the dungeons ignoring the sounds of Ron complaining about Snape.

When the group reached the Potions lab Harry and Neville took seats together. Ron looked at Harry crossly for a second before going to sit with Hermione. The look did not go unnoticed by Harry who wondered once more if he should tell his friends what he was really doing. It didn't take long for him to realize how stupid that would be.

His female friend would obviously cite all the laws and rules he was breaking. Then want to get the Headmaster involved because of his authority. Not to mention the fact that she would probably balk at the idea of killing. After how she reacted to the incident with the Firebolt his prior year at school she was obviously not going to be able to handle the news.

As for Ron, Harry wasn't sure. Gringotts had covered up Bill's death by saying he was doing some work but Harry knew that his brothers death would come out as soon as Gringotts took out the rival family. The Don had promised Harry that the red headed curse breaker's crimes would be reported along with his death. As soon as word was out The Wolf planned on leaking info about it being the work of the Assassin.

Harry wanted everyone to know Bill for what he was, but he also wanted to show the Assassins in an avenging light. Let the lower class learn that the Assassins only killed those that deserved it, and hopefully his enemies would fear him as well.

When word got out though he wasn't sure how Ron would feel. Or the other Weasley's for that matter. Everyone believed them to be a light sided family, but from what Harry could see the only ones truly devoted to light were Arthur and the Twins. Even then Arthur was closer to being on Dumbledore's side through his devotion to his wife. Bill was obviously in it for himself. Percy seemed to be a Ministry stooge to the hilt. Charlie could go either way. Ginny seemed like her mothers clone. As for Harry's best friend, it wasn't certain yet. Harry would test him, and see if he could be an Assassin. Why not the Weasley's had a dog in every fight but the Death Eaters as far as Harry could tell. Why not give them another side to support. A bang interrupted Harry's thoughts, ushering in Professor Snape in all his greasiness. He began barking orders and Harry knew it wasn't going to be a good day.

* * *

The day went by smoothly. Classes had all gone about as he had expected. Potions, History of Magic, and Divination were all the same as always. However Transfiguration had been a nightmare. Harry had never been good at the branch of magic, however now that his magic had been focused towards protecting his body his casting was weak. He couldn't get the changes he wanted to complete and the results were anything but acceptable. At least charms would be easier. There were some charms he could do because they needed less control.

The next day however was much more exciting. It had started off with Charms. Harry was able to do a few basic charms due to the fact that the magic needed was usually simple and easy to do. Next had come a nice Care of Magical Creatures where Hagrid taught them about Thestrals, the weird bony horse things Harry had seen pulling the carriages at the beginning of term. Lunch had proceeded an exceptionally boring Herbology lesson where Harry had to listen to Neville go on and on about his favorite subject, before the last and most assuredly worst class, Defense Against the Dark Arts.

Harry sat down in what had to be THE most disgusting looking room to have ever existed. Pictures of cute kittens and pink frilly shit abounded. Harry was so disgusted he almost didn't notice the two Hitwizards and the Templar in the room. The Templar sat in the back corner of the room behind Umbridges desk, while the Hitwizards sat on either side of the exit. Harry wondered what they could possibly be doing there. He actually kind of pitied them for getting stuck in this room all day.

The Assassin sat idly half-listening to Neville talk to Hermione about their Herbology lesson. All talking disappeared however as Professor Umbridge walked out of her office and began the lesson. After her spiel about the Ministry and all its greatness, Dumbledore's outrageous claims that Voldemort was back, and the threat of the ever deadly Murderer in the White Robe. Harry didn't know who came up with these names but he was considering finding them and killing them. The Boy-Who-Lived, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, The Murderer in the White Robe, they all sucked. He pulled out his book and began to read the pages as instructed.

It didn't take long to notice that the Templar had Neville in his sights. Harry knew why though, considering Neville was the only person they knew had seen the Assassin for any length of time. Mr. Patil was under scrutiny but he really didn't know anything so there was nothing to be suspicious of. It would mean more work for Harry since his friend was being watched but he wasn't too worried. After what seemed like ages of reading and a bunch of asinine questions the class got interesting while the students questioned the professor over what they would be learning and their OWLS and the uselessness of book knowledge. Harry agreed but as long as they argued he could pretend to be listening.

* * *

After dinner Harry begged off from his "friends" to go to to the Second floor girls bathroom where he had once found the Chamber of Secrets. Neville was supposed to meet him since they were trying to stay as separate as possible between the Templars watching him. It worked out fine for Harry though since he didn't have to deal with Ron's jealousy.

"Oi took you long enough." Neville said leaning against the wall beside the open window. The two were doing a little reconnaissance as Sirius called it that night. Harry just called it an excuse to not be trapped in a stuffy castle all the time.

"Piss off I was busy banging your girlfriend." Harry shot back as passed the boy and climbed out the window. Neville just laughed and followed. Harry climbed up onto the roof of the Great Hall where he could lounge and look in through the windows of the towers with his Animagi forms eyes.

"You know those eyes in your ugly face still scares the shit out of me." Neville admitted watching for guards.

"Your just mad because your form has shit day vision." Harry shot back. Neville shrugged, it was true. All indications where that he was an owl of some sort. That meant some scary good night vision, but Harry beat him in distance. "Nev do you see what I see."

"I believe I do." Neville smirked. Climbing down out of Gryffindor tower were a pair of red heads.

"I believe we have found how the Twins get around without any of the portraits reporting it to the Professors." Harry had never thought about it until Sirius had impressed upon him the importance of watching out for the many paintings throughout the castle. It was the reason they had chosen Moaning Myrtles bathroom, no portraits faced it and no professor would believe that two boys had gone in the unused bathroom. Sirius and James had always used the invisibility cloak or their knowledge of the clear paths to take for their pranks so the Twins mode of stealth had been a hot topic at the Hag whenever the Marauders got to talking about the glory days.

The two red heads made it to the bottom of the tower and slipped in through a window near the Hufflepuff House. Harry looked over at Neville before shrugging and following. The two Assassins ghosted down the hallway behind their house mates before watching them whisper something to a suit of armor that slid to the side to reveal a door. The twins stepped inside.

Harry and Neville rushed forwards to get to the small alcove before the armor was back in place. The duo made it just in time as it slid shut behind them. After a moment to collect themselves they opened the door. What they found surprised them. The room was surprisingly a mix of laboratory and a common room. Two work tables were covered with half done experiments, there was a cauldron boiling in the corner, and a couple of couches could be found not far away. In the common room half they saw a small bar area where one of the Twins was sitting with a mug of Butterbeer while the other took his turn at the dart board on the wall. It appeared from the score on the chalkboard that George was a dead shot while Fred, not so much.

"Oi George we have visitors." The one on the counter said sliding off. George looked over his shoulder while simultaneously throwing and scoring a bulls eye.

"If it isn't our good friend Harry Potter." George said scoring another bullseye. Fred walked around behind the bar and grabbed a pair of mugs to pour two more drinks.

"How did you stumble upon our humble abode." Fred smiled pushing the two mugs across the bar to the approaching Assassins.

"We followed you from the rooftop of course." Harry smirked at their gobsmacked expression.

"You two were..." George started sitting down at the bar next to them.

"On the roof." Fred finished.

"Why didn't we..."

"See you."

"We are good at not being seen." Neville said putting his drink down. As soon as he had he was shaken by the force of a huge burp.

"Belching beer." Fred said raising the bottle.

"Our own concoction." George said proudly.

"Brilliant. Just the reason I wanted to see you." Harry said pulling a paper from his back pocket.

"Our devilish good looks." George puffed his chest out.

"No your devious minds." Harry said slapping the paper against the red heads chest causing him to exhale loudly and rub his chest in mock pain. "Think you can take a look at these for me."

Fred and George looked over the list for a second before silently conferring with each other. Finally Fred looked up at the Assassins. "We might have dabbled in pyrotechnics recently." He agreed

"First two shouldn't be to much of a problem. The last one might take awhile though." George added.

"The question is why do you need them." Fred queried suspiciously. Harry knew that the Twins were much smarter than they led on. Obviously if anyone could puzzle out his identity as the White Robed Assassin it was them. Harry idly wondered how well they would take to Assassin training.

"Well the first use I can see is to piss off Malfoy." Harry said causing the Twins to smile widely.

"Well anything to annoy old Dracipoo." They said in unison. The group laughed and went about the business of drinking heartily.

"Good now show me more of these concoctions of yours." Harry smiled looking over the wide array of magical liquors.

The rest of the night was spent in good cheer. Several games of darts proved George could take just about anyone. Several hours of drinking and playing later the four climbed up to the tower to go to bed.

* * *

The first week went by about as Harry had expected. He had sucked unholy hell at anything having to do with Magic. It didn't bother him so much since he had expected it. Hermione of course was going ape shit all over him about it though. He was passing but only barely. His nonchalant attitude had not won him any favors from the Gryffindor bookworm. It was only the fact that he let her help him with his written work that she calmed her down. Ron was easy though all Harry had to do was play a game of wizards chess with him at least once a day and everything was fine.

That was until Dumbleore had announced a Dueling Club was being formed again run by a retired dueling champion, Professor Flitwick. Ron had been almost giddy. It surprised Harry how alike Ron and Hermione were sometimes when it came to the right subjects as they both talked about the famous duelists of the past. Of course Ron talked mostly about their lives, and the life of fame and fortune that came with it. Hermione of course cited rules and regulations the most along with history. It didn't take long for Harry to realize he was going to be forcibly dragged to the clubs first meeting.

That was why Harry found himself standing next to his friends whispering with Neville amongst more than half the school while they listened to the diminutive teacher go over the rules of the club and what dueling was. It didn't take long for some of the students to grow impatient. Of course chief among them was the schools resident death eater wannabe.

"Now most duels are fought at either 15 meters. We will however be using the underage dueling standard of 10 meters." Whatever Flitwick was going to say next was cut off by Malfoy's annoying voice.

"Are we ever going to get around to dueling?" The blonde ponce whined.

"Mr. Malfoy this is simply the informational meeting. There will not be any actual duels until next week. We have to go over a few spells and strategies first." Flitwick answered politely.

"I already know all of this. My father entered me in the English Underage Dueling circuit the summer after our 2nd year." Malfoy sneered. Harry had to hold in a laugh as Neville made a comical imitation of the boy's sneer.

"How exciting. I didn't know Hogwarts housed a duelist." Flitwick squeaked excitedly. "I must admit my attention has been on teaching and I have been unable to make the last couple of competitions. If I had known I would have given some pointers."

"I was tutored by Professor Snape."

"Ah well maybe a demonstration would do some good to show what the club will be like." Flitwick mused. "Has anyone else had any dueling experience."

The students looked around at each other. It appeared no one was going to answer and Harry silently prayed that it meant the meeting would end faster.

"Harry can do it." Ron said raising his hand and pointing to the young Assassin.

"Oi Ron stuff it." Harry growled quietly.

"Mr. Potter, a splendid idea, I am sure you will do just fine. If you could please step up onto the platform." Flitwick said gesturing up to the opposite side from where Malfoy had moved.

Harry couldn't do anything but mutter curses under his breath as he trudged through the crowd and up the stairs onto the platform. Flitwick moved to his place on the referees platform just outside the shield he threw up.

"We will be playing by standard rules. All schools of magic are allowed, Three 1-minute rounds, nothing lethal. The match is finished when the opponent is unable to continue or leaves the platform. Bow to your partners." Harry and Malfoy gave the slightest of movements required and dropped into a ready stance. Malfoy took the normal duelist stance while Harry stood facing his opponent. He was glad they had been allowed to leave their robes in their dorms, or else what he was about to do would have been a little more difficult. "Begin."

Harry leaned to the side as a stunning spell sailed over his shoulder. A second spell was dodged the same way but to the other side. Harry began to walk forwards, quickly ducking under a third spell. He side stepped a few more spells before stepping within reach of Draco, grabbing the boys wand arm. A quick twist later, Malfoy's wand was pointed at the floor, and Harry began to put pressure on his wrist. Malfoy yelped and dropped his wand. Harry kicked the wand mid-air, sending it spinning into the crowd. The Assassin wasn't done yet though. He grabbed Malfoy's throat with his other hand, picking him up and back before slamming him down onto the platform. Harry turned and began to walk down to his end of the platform to leave, but was stopped on the stairs by Malfoy's voice.

"You cheated." The boy wheezed from his prostrate position.

"Guess you should have listened to Flitwick after all because you don't know as much about dueling as you thought. Standard rules allow for physical contact." Harry said without turning around.

"He is right." Flitwick acquiesced holding his wand out towards Harry's side. "The winner is Mr. Potter."

The crowd cheered loudly but quickly quieted as Malfoy stood shakily.

"Best two out of three." The boy demanded. Harry's shoulders slumped as he sighed.

"Alright." He agreed turning to jog back up the stairs and take his place.

Flitwick looked between the two for a second before nodding his head. "Would someone please hand Mr. Malfoy his wand" One of the students did as they were asked and Malfoy took his stance once more.

"Begin."

A spell screamed past Harry's head as he began to charge his opponent, deciding to end it quickly so he could get on with his life. Several more spells followed but Malfoy didn't have much of a chance this time around either as Harry weaved in and out of the spell fire. The blond boy pointed his wand at the platform and sent the strongest blasting spell he could muster. The platform exploded in a shower of splinters, collapsing a good bit of it. Harry didn't stop though, jumping through the wooden shards and over the gap with his arms in front of his face. Malfoy's wand lowered a bit in surprise. Harry landed in a crouch before launching himself forward once more, ignoring the bits of wood in his arms. Draco snapped his wand back up and fired one last curse before his opponent was on him. Harry twisted his upper body past the spell, and past the casters wand. A quick palm thrust sent Malfoy sailing off the end of the platform, falling onto the stone floor just beyond.

The crowd was silent as Harry turned and stepped off the platform. As soon as he made it to them though the students swarmed around him to congratulate him. Malfoy waved off Flitwicks attention before standing and slinking off with his Slytherin's in tow.

The professor turned to the crowd and loose a loud bang with his wand."Where is Mr. Potter. He should get to the Infirmary to have those splinters looked at."

The Professor looked around but even the students couldn't find him. The Boy-Who-Lived had simply disappeared.

* * *

"THAT WAS BLOODY BRILLIANT." George yelled. Harry just held up his glass. George clinked his against it. "Cheers"

"Oi hold still." Neville complained.

"OW."

"I said hold still." Neville said furrowing his brow in annoyance.

The Twins had met Harry and Neville at their hideout after the club. The red heads had quickly poured drinks while Neville began to pluck the wooden shards out of Harry's arms. Ever since the two Assassins had found the Twins hideout they had been hanging out with them more and more. Of course when the two red heads were busy working on their projects it was better to stay away rather than be caught in the crossfire, but that gave them time to sneak around the castle.

"George you have yelled that a half a dozen times already." Fred said smiling and topping their drinks off.

"It was still pretty awesome." George pouted quietly.

"I agree but your so hyper sometimes I swear I got all the sense in this partnership."

"So how is the work coming?" Harry asked knowing if he let them they would go on all night, or worse they would question his duel with Malfoy.

"We almost have it. We are only having a problem figuring out the right amount." Fred answered. "We almost finished one of our earlier projects as well. With your help of course."

"I'm happy to help. It's not like I'm using all the money sitting in my vault. Why not invest it with you guys. Especially if your going to help me." Harry answered waving it off.

"Your gonna have to help us test it out though." George said smiling genially at the Assassin.

The twins had been good friends before but Harry had only seen their public face. In private they could be quite serious about their work. Their Twin act was also absent in the confines of their hideout. George it turned out, was more of the idea guy, and very energetic. While Fred was much more serious and very focused on his work. They both had gotten quite good at acting like the other though, and mixed the two personalities so no one knew which one was which.

"Of course, as long as you can return me to my healthy original self." Harry laughed knowing exactly how the Twins pranks tended to go.

"No this is a more serious product. I know you two will like it especially." Fred winked.

"Why does that scare me more than the thought of a prank." Neville bemoaned the twins laugh.

* * *

Harry sat at his desk in the dorms the first Friday in October. September had finally ended but it seemed that its problems were not done haunting him. The duel had been the talk of the school, with Malfoy's total embarrassment at the hands (quite literally) of the schools resident celebrity. Harry had to deal with more than a few well wishers, chief among them them was a group of girls that Neville and the Twins had taken to calling the Harry Harem. It appeared that Ginny enjoyed a position of power among the girls as she was the only one to have ever actually seen Harry outside of an academic setting. The attention was making Harry aggravated to say the least.

It didn't help that the Assassin had caught Padma looking at him more and more over the last few days. They had talked a few days into the year about the need for secrecy, at least for awhile. He kept telling himself it was because of who he was but the more he thought about it the more he was a little bit afraid. So far their "relationship" had been based on brief meetings and secrecy. How would she deal with dating THE Harry Potter. How would they be able to be together for more than a few minutes without having to share who they were. Would she like Harry Potter? Who was Harry Potter? The boy didn't know how much of who he was was Harry Potter and how much was The Assassin. He couldn't share The Assassin with her, not yet. He hadn't stopped to think about how much of him was Assassin.

He wasn't sure if Harry Potter was still alive. He put on a face every morning and played Harry Potter, but the things that he had thought made him Harry Potter were gone. Even interacting with his best friends was starting to fray his nerves. Ron was shallow, and dull. Harry found his one obligatory game of chess a day had become a chore. Hermione wasn't much better. She rode him constantly over his education. She was still a fun person, but she needed to let him deal with his own life.

Harry was building a failed Assassins Guild, planning the downfall of a corrupt government, at war with a group of terrorists, and now fighting a war against the Templars that had endured for centuries without end. Things like gossip and grades just didn't seem all that important to him. The only thing from his old life that he found any enjoyment in was his Quidditch practice.

Harry was broken from his thoughts as Hedwig landed and stuck her leg out. The letter was from Sirius.

Pup,

The Guild needs some things done. I have set up a few meetings at Grimauld Bureau tomorrow morning. Meet up by 8.

Harry smiled. Even after all he had been through Sirius still treated him like his little godson sometimes instead of Head Assassin. The boy left a note for Neville and grabbed his hoodie. Nothing was scheduled until the next day but that didn't mean he couldn't stop by the Hammered Hag and see a few of his friends. If Remus was coming with Sirius then he would certainly be there too. First he needed to do something for himself.

* * *

Padma walked out of the Library with her books in her arms. The workload wasn't heavy yet so she had decided to check out a few books for fun. She had always been inquisitive. It was the reason she was in Ravenclaw. Many considered Hermione Granger the smartest witch of their year, but Ravenclaw house knew that Padma was far and beyond the smartest witch of their generation. Granger might have the grades, but she was just very serious about her grades and future. Padma admired that, but it wasn't true knowledge. The Indian girl read everything she could get her hands on. She knew so many things that the world had forgotten in its rigidity.

Even Hogwarts was lacking in her opinion. It made everyone perfect for the streamlined pureblood society that England had built. There were only a dozen or so career paths that took much further training after Hogwarts, and even then getting the apprenticeship took knowledge that they didn't teach to you at Hogwarts. You either had to know someone or learn on your own. Healers often went to France to learn what was required. There were maybe half a dozen people with the ability to call themselves Potions Masters. Magical England streamlining their population into low paying easy jobs, and they wondered why they were losing their intellectuals and those with skills. Purebloods were only teaching their children what they knew. If the current years pureblood children, like Malfoy, were any indication of the future then Magical England was screwed.

Padma was surprised by a pair of arms wrapping around her waist and pulling her into an window alcove. She squeaked and dropped a few of her books to grab the persons arms and dig her nails into their flesh. Her back bumped into something solid and warm.

"You have sharp nails." A familiar voice said. She couldn't see his face behind her but she knew from his voice he was smiling.

"They don't seem to have much of an effect." She said pouting.

"I have felt worse." Harry said kissing the back of her head, his voice becoming more serious. Padma rubbed one of the arms wrapped around her waist. She knew it was true but she couldn't help but wonder once more why he did what he did.

He never felt real to her, even when he was with her. She found herself touching him in an attempt to prove to herself he existed. The last few weeks she had watched him from afar. Harry Potter hadn't much changed. He lazed about in class, hung out with his "Golden Trio", and was the source of gossip all the same. Harry Potter wasn't who she had met on the street so many months ago. He wasn't the man that had danced with her, and he wasn't who had saved her. This man holding her was.

"I missed you." She said snuggling back into him.

"I know. We can't really be seen together yet though. It is too soon." He replied. She sighed, but not for the reason he thought.

Padma didn't miss" Harry Potter". Even his "duel" with Malfoy hadn't been the man she had met over Easter Break. She had been sort of excited as he walked up onto the dueling platform. Excited at seeing the Harry she knew. Everyone had watched in awe as he bested Malfoy, but Padma had been disappointed. That was not him. That was Harry Potter playing around. The Harry she knew wouldn't have even wasted time walking over to such a weak opponent. Malfoy would have fallen with a knife in his chest from a simple flick of the wrist. It wasn't to say that Padma wanted to watch Harry kill anyone, but there was something about the man behind her that she liked that was much more confusing than anything she had ever come across.

At first he had been mysterious and flirty, and Padma had felt like a school girl with a crush. She was not unused to male attention, but he had never pursued her. Instead of being smothered like she had with the other boys, she had found herself actually wanting him to be more assertive. She knew she was pretty, she didn't need to be told. But she had felt all that much prettier from the way he acted, from the way he looked at her. He had made her feel special without doing anything at all really.

Harry had never given her any flowery declarations of love, or devotion. He hadn't promised her the world, or proclaimed she was worth dying for, words she had all heard before. Words had become weak to her. Anyone could say a word. Actions, his actions, were very real though. From her place on the ground behind him, watching as he took a spell meant for her, she had felt something very different. All these English wizards were too caught up in themselves. Their money, their abilities, their families were their identity. However everything they did and said was shallow. Harry however proved himself worth more than anyone she had ever met in a few short minutes. He had fought and kill several men that had been trying to kill her, even at the expense of being hurt himself. Afterward he had gone on to protect her family, and if what she had pried from Neville after the 3rd task of the Triwizard tournament was true, he had watched over her and killed two men trying to kill her. He had done all that and never asked for anything. He had simply done it for her.

Harry leaned back against the wall and Padma turned her head so it lay on his shoulder, tucked under his chin. His scent was strong in such closed was a subtle smell unlike one she had ever come across. Like leather, sweat, some sort of oil, and Harry. So many people she met put on fake scents that made them smell like Vanilla, or fruit. Harry simply smelled like Harry.

"I have to go. I just wanted to see you before I left for the weekend." He said finally breaking her from her thoughts. She frowned at the words and stretched her arms up over her head, looping them around his neck and intertwining her fingers behind his neck.

"No." She pouted.

"I have some people I have to meet." Harry said trying not to smile at how cute she was. She pulled his head down, twisting her own to push her lips against his and silence him. She pulled back ever so slightly, just enough to talk, but not far enough that he wasn't acutely aware of how close her lips were right then.

"Fine." She said quietly before slipping easily from his arms. She bent over at just the right angle to give him a good view, while picking up her books, glad that she had forgone her robes for the night. "Have a good weekend." She said over her shoulder walking off smiling.

Harry shook himself once she had walked around the corner towards her common room. He wasn't sure if her ass moved like that naturally or if she knew just how show it off without making it seem like it.

* * *

The next morning found Harry seated at his usual desk in the Grimauld office. To his left stood Sirius. to his right was Neville. Across the desk from him stood Fleur with another woman. The woman was a little taller than the French Veela, with long red hair pulled back behind with a hair band.

"Ok let me get this straight... you want to work at a whore house?" Harry asked knowing that this was quickly going to turn into a headache.

"No Courtesans are not common whores." Fleur said frowning at Harry. The Assassin felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't piss them off Harry. Courtesans deal with upper class clients it means more money, and better information. The Madam Nicole's Courtesans have been good friends of this guild for many years. They provide good Intel that we could not get otherwise." Sirius said leaning down to whisper to him.

"Ok ok. Courtesans..." Harry looked at Neville. "and your ok with this?"

"I would be working with their books." Fleur huffed.

"We talked about this before she decided to do it. She is just going to be doing what she does best..." Harry gave him a look. "Accounting Harry... I meant Accounting."

"And your ok with us just giving you a book keeper that is essentially a spy." Harry asked Madam Nicole.

"I have need for someone that will keep her eyes on the numbers and not the co-workers, and not many women are good with numbers. Mrs. Delacour has proven quite proficient though, and her beauty will attract many a customer, even if she is not what they end up paying for." Nicole said smiling. "Besides your Grandfather was very good to us, I would be amiss in helping his organization, especially when they can continue to help us."

"Just for my sanity's sake I'm going to assume by "good to us" you mean he lent you some money. I can't stop you from finding gainful employment. Do what you need to do." Harry said sitting back in his chair. Fleur nodded and the two women left the room. Harry let out a sigh as soon as the door closed.

"Well that went smoothly." Sirius grinned. Harry just glared at him.

"Yeah like chunky peanut butter." Neville scoffed.

"First off you..." Harry pointed to his friend. "Could have told me you were talking with Fleur about it and how you felt before this meeting started." Neville shrugged and Harry turned his accusatory finger towards Sirius. "And you could have just told me why we are doing this and how they are useful to us... You could also NOT have taken me to every whore house within a mile of the Mediterranean coast."

"I told you she was a Courtesan not a whore." Sirius shot back.

"Yes and when I asked you what that was you said they have sex for money and forgot to add the part where you explain the difference." Harry replied.

"Eh minor inconvenience, you did great." Sirius said slapping him on the back.

"So what else do we have to do today before I can go to the Hag and drink until this is all a bad memory?" Harry asked.

"Be careful man the last time you did that you ended up on one of the tables in your boxers singing Irish drinking songs." Neville laughed.

"I still don't believe that happened and no one will show me a penseive memeory so I think you all made it up." Harry said pointing at his friend.

"Well we have a meeting with Scipio to go over the Isle before we can go grab a pint with Remus. Once that is over you will probably we well on your way to a few versus of Moonshiner sporting a nice pair Union Jack Undies. But before Scipio shows up I have a few things for you." Sirius put a large duffel bag on the desk. Harry opened it up and looked inside to find several scrolls and books."These are journals, maps, important information and the like from Assassin Guilds across the globe. In the last few decade the Templars have succeeded at wiping out almost ¾ of the Guilds we had. When I was just starting as an Assassin me and your dad were given the job of going to some of the old guilds hideouts and finding what we could. Your Grand-uncle told us it was because we were young and he wanted us to see the world while we still could. Turned out he wanted us gone when the Templars killed him and almost every last Assassin we had. That right there is what made the Assassins guild run. I thought you might like to learn from the past."

Harry nodded absentmindedly as he opened a journal with the word Eden on the cover. It had several rows of numbers. Several rows were marked out but 5 of them were still unmarked. A sixth and seventh were circled and the seventh had several numbers under the numbers originally written. The next several pages were sketches and blueprints of buildings and statues.

"It is strange that you would pick that up first." Sirius said causing his godson to look at him. "Your mother once found that book. She spent hours pouring over it to find out what it meant. She was close though." Harry looked back down. At the book. "why don't you take it and look over it during your free time to try and find out what it means. Scipio is going to be here soon."

"Yeah I'll figure it out later." Harry said tucking it away and clearing his desk for his next meeting. As soon as it was over he could go see Remus. It was always fun when his fathers friends got together. Almost like family.

* * *

"So you gave him the journal."Remus sat at the bar of the Hammered hag with Sirius.

"Yeah." Sirius said watching his godson read the journal he had gotten.

"But you didn't give him Lily's journal." Sirius shook his head. "Why. She put everything she knew down in there for after the war. We could look inside it and find out. Why make him do it all himself. I know you want him to learn and grow and become proficient himself but all at once, he has to much to do as it is."

"Because he is gonna need help on this one, and I know exactly who he is going to for help. His isolation is over. He doesn't need us old relics hovering over him anymore. We had our chance and we failed. He needs his own family, his friends." Sirius took a drink." He found his Lily, now lets see if he can realize how much he needs her."

* * *

Padma ran into her dorm room. She had gotten caught up in her studying and was late for dinner. She opened her trunk and pulled her book out, placing it on the window sill. She placed her bag in the trunk and turned to get the book and replace it, only to find a familiar hoodie standing in front of her window. She started in fright for a second.

"Don't do that to me. You scared me senseless." She looked at the window, it was closed and the book was still in front of it, and the door had been in her field of vision. She had no idea how he had gotten in.

"You live in a castle full of ghosts next to a forest filled with monsters and I scared you." Harry quirked an eyebrow. He didn't wait for an answer. "How are you with numbers and maps?"

"I have read a few things." She answered confused. He held out a journal with the pages open to a specific one. It had a sketch of a snake carving on it. "Why?"

"I need your help. I think I found the Secret to the Chamber of Secrets."

* * *

Well I got most of my notes rewritten and I don't have to much work these days so I figured I would try and get another chapter out. Hope you like it. It is setting up some stuff for the future. Alright review with what you think.


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